


The Ultimate: Neji Gaiden

by vajallie



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blindness plot device, Byakugan gets several boosts, Complicated Relationships, Conflict of Feelings, Descendant of Kaguya, Descendant of Tenji, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationships, F/M, Falling In Love, Fate & Destiny, First Kiss, Fluff, Fortune Telling, Fuinjutsu Boost, Heavy Angst, Hyuuga Neji Lives, Hyuuga Taijutsu Boosts, I'll give a warning, Light Angst, Maybe a lil smut, Multiple Pov, No Naruto: The Last, Red String of Fate, Romance, Struggle for Power of Choice, Tragic Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-08
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2019-11-13 15:01:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 73
Words: 188,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18033920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vajallie/pseuds/vajallie
Summary: Neji threw away the notions of fate and destiny long ago. Only after surviving the War did he clearly see that his fate was there all along. Written in the heavens, scrutinized under its all-seeing gaze, all that he wants was to be given the choice to choose the way he lives his life.





	1. The Captain's Tears

**Author's Note:**

> Pairings and their moments may have separate chapters to explore how they eventually sprout feelings for one another. Their relationships will be sprinkled variably around the main couple.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shikamaru comes to visit Neji at the hospital after the failed Sasuke Retrieval mission.

 

Prologue 

When Neji died, he felt the warmth of the sun rays kissing his skin. He felt the breezy wind brush his free-flowing hair over his eyes, his nose, his mouth. It was a bliss to stand at the gates of heaven and no longer feel pain. When Neji died, he believed that that was the end of all suffering. He would be spared of the world’s cruelness, and no longer be bound to a life’s cage. But Neji was wrong. He was resurrected from his death, unable to speak for himself for two long weeks.

Chapter 1: The Captain’s Tears 

When Neji came to from extensive sedation, he found no one by his side. It was unlikely that of heaven. In heaven, the light invited him for a peaceful settlement. But he came to in a dark room, curtains were drawn to a close, and the sound of the monitor echoed throughout. He was alone, alive, but caged once more. He didn’t know if he should be thankful or not. Neji laid his tired eyes to rest, swallowing up the pain in his abdomen and chest, and trying to ease into a nap. He laid there for no more than ten merciful minutes in agony before his ears perked up. Neji heard the clicking of familiar shoes pounding tiles as it headed straight for his room. His eyes remained closed, unsure who the person was. The person entered upon cue of the sound of the heavy hospital sliding door, and then closed mannerly. The footsteps came closer to him and a clank was heard. Neji suspected it was nighttime, he was sure it was.

From the sigh of the person, Neji knew it was his team leader, Shikamaru. He stood there, wherever he stood for a long time, sighing here and there, and changing his position from time to time. “I’m glad you’ve made it,” he first spoke. Neji then heard the Chuunin hyperventilate. He supposed that the boy had been crying. A breath-holding spell followed the hyperventilation, “I’ll make sure not to fail you again.” The boy sniffed and the sound of brushed tears crawled acceptingly into Neji’s ears. Neji saved him the confrontation, for he was thankful to have heard from his leader. There was a reason why Shikamaru came to him, “The mission failed, but everyone survived. I wish you a full recovery,” those were his last words for the night. Neji heard him clasp his hands together, gathering himself to prepare to leave. The heavy sliding doors opened again but from what Neji heard, Shikamaru did not move. “You’re Tenten, right?”

Shikamaru turned to the girl who was older than him by one. Her chest heaved like a forceful ocean wave. From what he could tell, the girl was in no better shape than he was. Her cheek was taped with a bandage, her clothes just as dirty as his’. “Lee told me to come here,” her exhausted breaths escaped.

“You must’ve returned from a mission,” Shikamaru commented to her.

“Yes,” she expelled. Her eyes, wide in glossy shades of amber.

Shikamaru walked over to her, the sound of his shoes followed thereafter. “His safety line has been secured just hours ago,” he suspended his shadow over her. He couldn’t even hear her footsteps to Neji’s room until she revealed herself by swinging the door open. It was as expected of Team 3. Shikamaru raised his hand to her shoulders and patted her twice. “Take care,” he said.


	2. Her Caring Hands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji's lost strength in his body to do the basics. Tenten tries to help and Neji tenderly basks in her gentle care for him.

When Neji died, he didn’t think much about people who knew him. He didn’t remember the good times with them. But here was his team member, carefully treading around this place even as she believed that he was asleep. He couldn’t even hear her footsteps towards him after the door closed again. “Neji,” her familiar voice timbered softly into his ears. She had already moved her way to his bedside in silence. When he felt her hand for the first time, grasping over his’ as gently as she could, he could not help but accept the gesture. His eyes fluttered open, stealing a glimpse of her solemn gaze before their eyes met. Like she was surprised by a ghastly monster, he watched as she stiffened at his awakening. When Neji died, he never thought he’d ever want to live again just to see his friend beside him. “Don’t speak,” she cautioned. Her eyes traveled from his gaze back to his bare hand. Neji felt the coldness of her fingertips transfer her warmth to him. She lowered herself to his hand, her swelling tears transpired and she blew soothing warm breaths onto his skin. The room wasn’t so cold until now. “For living,” she lowered her forehead down to the knuckles of his hand, pressing his icy skin onto her own, “I thank you.”

When Neji felt this odd gesture, he became relieved. In heaven, there was no one to welcome him. Even though he returned from death, re-born into his cage again, he realized he was thankful for her gesture. “From this point on,” she raised her head to meet his eyes again, “you will never be here again.” Neji gazed into her glistening eyes with the intent to reach for her words, to believe in them, “You will prosper, and I will be right beside you.” Her words were too sweet to swallow for him. “All three of us, we will work hard to overcome what we lack.” He could only wallow in her inspiration, "We will never knock against death's door again." Neji gazed into her eyes, wanting to take her words to heart. "You've still got a long way to go, and I will definitely be there to witness it all," Tenten held his hand for as long as she could, desperate to make it clear for him. Her energy flew away with every minute she spent watching. Neji could still feel her fingers dancing around his'. Even as he closed his eyes, trying to resist the urge to grunge at his aching body, her tight grip on him was never gone. It never left until he lost consciousness on his own accord. It was then that her now familiar hands slipped away from him, tucking his newly found warmth under the covers.

Neji dreamt of a simple dream. Gone were his to be nightmares of being a failure and failing to become a worthy shinobi. No, Neji dreamt of a very bright day under the shade of Team 3's first meeting, an open room, exposing down to the ground level market. "You must be tired, so, I will leave you now," he vividly saw Tenten bidding him farewell. "You are the strongest guy I know," Lee turned to him, "of course." Little did he know, Tenten had whispered into his ear as he slept and dreamt, and bid them a short farewell. His dream reassured him his worth, Neji knew how moving her words were to him.

When Neji came to, he came to before dawn. It was still dark, and it was still colder than before. But this time, he came to his friend nodding off at the foot of his bed. She leaned an elbow onto his bedside, cleanly renewed with warmer clothes from her home; he thought she must have gone home and returned. Neji thought that those sweet words were just a dream, not having a sense of time just enough to comprehend reality. Besides, he couldn't sleep for more than four hours at most when the feeling of pinches ached at every inch of his body. Neji glimpsed at his unbandaged arm, seeing his skin exposed was odd for him. His unusual shift in bed caused a minor stir, immediately waking up his friend.

She mauled her eyes, her hands brushing against her bandaged cheeks and a smile appeared on her face. "I bothered your relatives for these," she revealed a tiny bag filled with his personal hygiene belongings. "Lee asked for his' and I suppose you need yours too!" she snickered and placed it on the rollable side table. "Gai-sensei came by after I left and made sure you were comfortable for the time being. He's with Lee right now," she told him, "in case you were wondering where sensei was." Neji blinked a couple of times, still unable to mutter any kind of word. "But! Let me know if you need anything." Neji was still unwary of his surroundings, still dazed from the sedation entering his vein. He would never recall a day without anyone in his room. She made sure of that.

When Neji died, he expected a lifelong childhood to be a waste. But standing before him was his own uncle who gave him little time to digest his father's note. He was here, the next morning after being admitted to the hospital. "I need not a sparing ear, but so long as you continue to live, you will bear your own freedom to choose your destiny," Hiashi-sama iterated clearly. Neji heard his genuine words with care. So long as he chose to live, his life would finally become his'. Gone would be his duty to protect the undecided heiress. The way that this decision arrived to him only after death, per se, his worth was finally realized after almost dying. And though Neji refused to look at his uncle, he accepted the kind gesture. He knew of his uncle's intentions no matter how it was phrased. Though Neji could barely move an inch, he was eager to get stronger for the years to come. He still had a lot to prove, to improve, and to live by. The greatest feeling he felt after the thought of freedom after death was the feeling of accomplishing his dream. Neji wanted to prove that even with clan customs withholding techniques from him, he would reach it, and he would surpass everyone so effortlessly to challenge his clan's system. Neji looked out at his village. It had just begun to wake.

Tenten came again, just before the break of noon with a hospital cup. Neji had been sitting alone for a while, silently admiring every aspect of the linen covering his scars. His eyes glowed up when the heavy hospital doors slid open. Even though he was not in the mood to eat, he knew it would help him recover. He watched as she filled the cup, as he saw, with warm water. "Water for what?" he asked her. He supposed he won’t be eating just yet.

She pulled out his toothbrush and paste, "To brush your teeth, genius." She squeezed a fitting amount of paste onto his toothbrush, "Gai-sensei is being sent on back-to-back missions and can't be with Lee. So for the time being, I'll manage you both." She handed him his toothbrush and then came to his side. Her right arm snaked to his back while her left firmly held his abdomen as she helped him sit up. Her rough touch pinched his skin, it hurt just to even be touched. Neji hissed at the pain and realized she was in his face, this time, closer than before. "Sorry," he heard her panicky tone. Immediately, her immature hands removed themselves from him. She clasped her hands and sat promptly on the stool next to his bedside, waiting for him to brush his teeth. Neji did not mean to play a vegetable, but he could not physically move so much. To put it simply, he knew he did not have the strength to brush his own teeth. His ears began to shade from pink to a lighter red because he knew the inevitable must be done. He glanced at his friend, who was eagerly waiting for him. "Ah," she sounded. Without hesitation, he watched as she retook his toothbrush into her hand and commanded him to open his mouth.

When Neji gets better, he promised to himself to treat Tenten better than before. He promised to be more gentle to her, more lenient, less strict, and less harsh to her. A moment such as this, Neji would remember forever: her care for him. He sat there, eyes drawn to her as she meticulously brushed his teeth for him. He was, in all honesty, embarrassed in front of her. However, she never teased him for it even though she knew. Neji thanked her for that. When he spat out the water back into the cup, Neji never would have believed Tenten to give him a gesture so familiar to his father. She pulled the sleeve of her long sleeve and dabbed the excess water from his lips, gently removing them, her thumb wiping away the peeled skin from his lower lip. "I will be back," she told him. Neji let her words fly in by themselves for her touch lingered on his lips. He recalled his childhood, the last person to ever touch his lips was his father: the time when he was being taught how to brush his teeth for the first time. He fondly recalled and made sure to keep this memory of Tenten too, in his memories.

Ten long minutes passed before Tenten finally returned with a wooden box the size of a standard book. "Since I don't want to clean up too much," she opened the box, revealing a whole lot of steam, "I opted for these." Neji eyed the peculiar little thing as her hand reached into it to reveal steamed rolls of damp towels. Without prompting him, she pressed one of them onto his cheek. They were overwhelmingly warm, opening his pores up. “How is it?” she asked him excitedly.

Neji was stunned with the touch, “Oh,” he muttered, “warm,” he finally managed. Her chuckle made him skip a heartbeat.

“Well of course!” she said. He received her kind, light touch as she wiped his face as thoroughly as she could, making sure to softly clean his eyes with care. And after using up all the heat with the first towel, she reached in the wooden box for another one and opened it up to press onto his face fully. As the white cloth fluttered to his face, Neji closed his eyes, feeling the warmth trickle down to his bone. Light as the feeling was, it felt good too. Tenten removed it and Neji opened his eyes; his heart felt as if it was going to break into a million pieces. She grinned at him, “How was it?” she asked him.

When Neji came to, he would have never thought to experience happiness in a sad way. His friend’s amiable gesture of care for him has caused him to be nostalgic for no particular reason. “It was good,” he tried to hide the shakiness in his voice.

Her grin settled, “When you and Lee get out of here, let’s go to a sauna together, hm?” she asked him.

Neji nodded and allowed her to move on to wipe the perspiration from his neck, and then to his hands she went. All the while, his eyes never left her caring hands. He wondered what it was that made him feel sorrowful. When Neji died, he couldn’t have cared if he ever felt loved by anyone. But now, with everything in his life becoming more clearer, he was grateful not to have accepted heaven’s gaze. Tears welled up in his eyes and fell with heavy thuds. It had been many years that he’s lost the feeling of touch from others, especially a motherly kind of care from his own friend. Tenten glanced at him with solemn eyes. “Thank you, Tenten,” he bestowed to her. “I will remember your kindness into the next life.”

“What good will that do?” she rebuked. She tenderly clasped his hands into both her hands, “You should remember the important things,” she told him, “like, not dying.” Tenten snickered anyway, seeing the confused look in his eyes, “But if you insist on remembering it, repay the kindness back to others.”

She looked at him earnestly, and Neji complied, “I will.” He would and he's made up his mind to repay them back to her. Tenten's hands reached for his cheek, warmed from towels themselves. She brushed his heavy tears away before thoroughly casting them away with the towel. 

Neji watched as she packed up the used cloths back into the wooden box. “I’ll be back with food, I have to give Lee’s first,” she told him. He nodded, eyes watching her as she closed the door on him. Neji’s heart was going to spill. He sighed, suppressing the newly fond memories forever. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Team 3 is Team Gai as mentioned in the anime.  
> This is right after the Sasuke Retrieval Mission. Lee is hospitalized after his fight with Kimimaro.


	3. Self Reflection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji recovers from his wounds after failing the mission to bring Sasuke back. He, Lee, and Tenten sit by the Dango Shop. Neji reminisces the times they've been here.

When Neji recovered, they discarded the idea of heading to the sauna. He was getting used to moving again and had opted to linger around the short-legged dango bench. That place was marked as theirs for a while now ever since they became genin. The tree that shaded the bench had already grown greener the last time Neji saw them. They wanted to stay out a bit longer with each other, Neji recalled. It was because of a mission prior that almost went south. Lee laid on his stomach, taking a good portion of the square bench as Tenten sat next to him munching on a dango. Neji leaned on the tree with his arms and legs crossed. He enjoyed their company more than he let them know. At home, there was no one to greet him, and he’d rather accompany his friends. It was lonely to be alone. “Picking at the scab won’t make it heal any faster, Tenten,” he heard Lee initiate. Neji turned his head to look at his friend and indeed, she was picking at the scar on her cheek.

“It’s really big, isn’t it?” he heard her describe her wound. Without her knowing, he unconsciously commented on her scar. It wasn’t big, nor was it distracting. Neji thought that it made her look tougher. “If I hadn’t dodged the trap, I’d actually be beheaded,” she told them. It prompted Lee to sit up and examine her scar again. “I’m never going to restock supplies again.” Neji looked away and admired her versatility. He couldn’t have asked for better friends.

“Say, Tenten-chan, why don’t you head home?” Neji’s brow raised when Lee said that. He wondered what the fuss was about. “Your parents might think you’re in trouble.” Lee was concerned for her, but looking at Tenten, Neji knew that he needn’t worry.

Her eyes commonly sulked before they were filled with glee. “Lee, I live alone.” Her reply left him speechless. She simply nodded before getting to her feet. “But, you’re right, we’ve got a big day tomorrow,” she got off of the bench and waved Lee and him both goodbye, “we better rest!” Neji remembered her fraudulent grin. He knew that Lee had driven her to the edge. Now that he’s confirmed for himself, Neji could finally speculate that the rumors about his friend were true. In their academy days, she was more like Naruto. She was mischievous and eager to surpass everyone. He recalled all those times back in their childhood when he wanted nothing to do with her, where she would always announce her aspiration to become a legendary sannin. Thinking about it now, the three of them were no different from one another. To put it simply, they all came from broken homes at a young age. But the fact that the aspiration to be stronger, to become a worthy shinobi has driven them to lean on one another, Neji was thankful.

“Lee,” Neji called to him, “don’t put assumptions before your friends.” Lee turned to him with sadden eyes. “Even though it is not your intention to hurt Tenten, it did.”

Lee’s lips chattered and he nodded, “I should’ve apologized before she left.” Tomorrow, she would come to the training ground and act as if they’ve Lee never said anything. Neji knew she was a caring person and would not have wanted to make him cry.

He stood up and bid Lee farewell, “Don’t take it too hard,” Neji told him.

Neji hoped that their future would be bright. Even with their homes vacant of a father or mother, he hoped that by helping each other, they all would be able to strive to live without the gaping hole that was care.

The same still held true to this day. Three hardworking years had passed and their resolve hadn't changed. Even after the Chuunin Exams, even with becoming busier as a Jounin, Neji would always make time to spend his time with his friends. That was how important they were to him. Even though their personalities were like water and fire, he didn’t mind it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Their minor rest at the Dango bench is post-hospitalization.  
> There's a major time skip here of three years.


	4. War Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Neji was a child, he wanted War because he'd rather have his father alive. Now that the 4th Shinobi War was underway, he hopelessly meets his teammates for the last time before separating.

When war came nearer to its due date, Neji was asked to accompany his friend on a mission to gather weapons for stock. In his lifetime, he wished for war once. Selfishly, the child he once was wanted war in exchange for his father, but it didn't matter now. Even as a shinobi, he had didn't want to enter any war. There were a few things he didn't want to lose and he knew that war would take it from him. However, Tenten was indifferent to it. She claimed that it was a part of their duty as shinobi to protect their way of life. Regardless of what she said, the only thing on his mind was his way of interpreting his involvement in the war. He didn’t care about the bigger things such as the way of life in Konoha. He only cared about those that he treasured but all of them would be entering the war. 

They slowly trekked through the unmarked forests that encapsulated their village. His heart was heavy, but just by judging his friend’s demeanor, she was enjoying their time. She told him that it had been a very long time since they’ve gone on a mission together, just the two of them. “If I think about the little things, the probability of going to war will seem far away,” she replied upon him asking. “I must enjoy the last of our moments, in case I die in the war,” she said with a grin. Neji couldn’t reply. Her contrary expression to his' coupled with the dire seriousness of her words struck his heartstrings with one full strum. The melody that she displayed, allowing him to hear her true feelings about the war, Neji was severely afraid that it might just make her words come to life. And here, right before him, he watched as she gleefully neared toward their destination. The insignificance of their lives gave them zero probability of surviving through the war. With no strings attached to the greater gods, no greater shinobi to lean on, Neji could only hope that fate was on their side.

.

.

When the war was underway, and they were under preparations, Neji made sure to contact Lee and Tenten. He wanted to see them one last time. He wanted them to live because there were still many more things they had to do together. They met under a full moon, a cold breeze swayed within the wind. Neji hadn't had the chance to repay Tenten's kindness to him yet and he hadn't the chance to make up to Lee for all the wrong things he'd said to him. They met at the summit of the pines, his heart was full of uneasiness. "We will be separated into platoons, which means I won't be able to help you if you're in need-"

"Oh don't talk crap, Neji," Tenten bit in. "We can handle ourselves without you."

Lee nodded and patted Neji's shoulder. It was a gesture of reassurance, but Neji was still terribly afraid. "Don't worry about us, just make sure you don't die, again."

Their cheerful attitudes gave him confidence, but without them by his side, he knew he would do something stupid. Neji announced that they should disperse and prepare for the grand division, but Tenten suggested a final goodbye with a hug. Neji leaned into both her and Lee's arm, feeling overwhelmed with their unusual display of affection. Never once have they ever gotten this close, and of course, it was right before the war. He could feel her hand pressed tensely at the red emblem on the back of his shinobi jacket, and he could feel Lee’s worn hands pull him tighter into their embrace. “This will not be our last hug,” he told them. Even though he doubted himself, he shouldn’t feel hopeless, “Let’s meet again after the war.”

“Alive,” Tenten added.

“That’s right!” Lee then conjured. Neji smiled tenderly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't fill in on what happened between the time skip from their genin days to the War Arc because I do not want to meddle in changing the Shippuden storyline a whole lot. Neji and Tenten need to keep their same personalities going into Shippuden, therefore, I will only briefly mention some moments that are wedged within this time frame in the future. 
> 
> Thanks for keeping up with the story!  
> I'm trying to develop Team Gai's relationship a bit so please bear with me.


	5. The Freed Bird

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hiashi removes Neji's curse mark, fearing that even in War, he'd be sabotaged by other head members of the clan.

The war had split his members into the 3 respective Divisions: Lee in the 3rd Division on short to mid-range combat, Tenten in the 1st Division on mid-range combat, and himself in the 2nd Division on short-range combat. He reminded himself that he was a Jounin, and he mustn't fail to protect others. Being platooned with his clan in abundance, it was also the correct time to display his prodigy. He supposed he could use this as a means to try his best to survive. Neji knew his chakra was easily expelled using kaiten and the void palm. He demised that those must be used as a final defense. Before they broke into their respective divisions, his uncle had wanted to meet him personally. A tent was over his head with his uncle, and yet, Neji always thought about what would be best for himself to stay alive in the war. The makeshift tent would be abandoned soon, and his uncle had called him here specifically for a matter, “Neji," his uncle called to him.

"Yes, Hiashi-sama."

During a serious event such as war, there was no possible way that anyone would sabotage Neji with the curse mark. However, the Hyuuga head family still objected to the branch family using their byakugan during the war. It was so easy to think that the branch family would turn against the head family during the brink of the war. Even without the possibility of the branch family possessing skills the head family didn’t already know, they were still concerned. If the war turned out favorable, their pure lineage would break.

However, Hiashi couldn’t take the chance that no head family wouldn't want to incapacitate their own clan branch members and label it as a coup. The animosity between the two families had been brewing the more he began to treat his nephew as his own son. It was clear that if Neji showcased his prowess, even if he survived the war, that he would be killed overtly for the fact that his powers had overgrown the heiress’. Hiashi looked at his nephew with determination in his eyes. He should have removed the curse mark a long time ago, but now was better than never. In the case that Hiashi died in the war, Neji would be able to live freely. "That curse mark will be the death of you," he stated. Of course, Neji knew. But Neji did not dare say it. Hiashi’s stern eyes grew on his nephew, "I am going to remove the curse mark from you." Neji's eyes widen at the absurd intention. "Tie your forehead protector tightly afterward." Hiashi has thought about taking away his nephew’s curse mark ever since he awoke from death. He was guilty of almost ending his own brother’s lineage.

"Hiashi-sama," Neji warned him, "the clan elderly will never agree to it.” No matter how much he wanted the curse mark gone, Neji would never want harm coming to his uncle. “I have accepted the curse mark as a part of me now, Hiashi-sama.”

Hearing those words made Hiashi’s inner core falter. “I’ve said it before, Neji, you are my brother’s memento. I should have removed it a long time ago for your sake.” Neji glanced up at his uncle upon the mention. “Who knows what kind of abilities that has been locked away because of the curse mark.” Hiashi stepped toward his nephew. "Your father may have been second born, but he was healthier than I was as a child," his uncle told him. Hiashi’s own father made sure to let him know, upon Hizashi’s sacrifice, that Hiashi was born pale, skinny, and near death. Meanwhile, his twin was born a healthy child with pink cheeks and loud in cries. If it were not for him exiting his mother’s womb first, Hiashi would have lived as a branch member. "I apologize for creating your blind spot, the moment when I placed the curse mark into you, I discovered your true amount of inheritance of the clan’s doujutsu," Neji furrowed his brows upon hearing the shocking news. His heartbeat slowed and his anger toward his uncle began to grow. His blind spot, his weakest point, was conjured because of the curse mark. Yet, despite all of that, he could not say a word. Hiashi walked toward him, his hands closed to a fist.

Neji read his uncle's eyes, they were full of truth and good intent, but his hands balled into a fist and he tried to subside his anger. Neji closed his eyes and reached for his forehead protector. Taking off the curse mark was an order, and he had to obey. He kneeled to the floor, one of his hand gripping onto the forehead protector tightly. Neji braced himself for the pain. He remembered how painful it was to receive it. His uncle performed a long series of hand signals before green chakra emitted from all five of his fingertips. His palm situated itself in front of Neji’s forehead, and he began to draw the cursed tentacles that intertwined with his nephew’s cranial nerves. The removal felt like threads being pulled from the nerves in his head. His eyes rolled back to compensate for the excruciating pain. His nails itched and his jaw tightened. He has never felt any of his inner chakra barrier gates be disturbed until now. Neji could feel his both of the inner gates situated in his head explode. It seemed that the curse mark had clouded both of them, refusing more chakra to circulate to his eyes.

Suddenly, his eyes came to be, his vision blurry and pulsating. He did not even know if he screamed against the pain or not since it was difficult to feel anything other than the extraction. Neji leaned forward, catching himself on the ground with a mere forearm and a hand to support on. He heard a clunk on the ground, realizing that his headband had fallen. Neji reached for it and tied it back onto his forehead. It was now his secret to hide his complete freedom from others. Hiashi turned around and moved the tent flap loudly, causing the other head family members to turn their heads toward the tent. Seeing Neji kneeling on the floor with his head bowed low to the ground, they chuckled. Neji was sure that it would have been suspicious if he stayed there too long. He dizzied to his feet and walked out of the tent, trying to act as normal as he could. “How is it that no one could have known?” he asked himself. Even though Neji could not see if the curse mark was gone, he could feel a change in how his chakra was moving within his body. His mind felt lighter and his eyes became more sensitive. He supposed that the curse mark really was gone.

From the edge of the trees, their Division Commander, Kitsuji, appeared with Intel. Neji, along with others, approached for the information. “Word has it, our division is moving to the border of the Land of Lightning to intercept the approaching Zetsu clones. 1st Division has been notified to arrive there first. Therefore, we will move at dusk.” Neji looked for Hiashi, and his uncle nodded when their eyes met. He and Hinata, belonging to the 2nd Division, rounded up along with everyone else belonging to the division, and they prepared to set out to the border.

At dusk, Neji finally received the motion to move. Fiercely, they ran to the border. He reminded himself over and over to remain calm, but his heart was not. He was angered with his uncle, still, even after several hours. The fact that he caused Neji's blind spot, and knowing that it may never recover, he was aching to try his freed byakugan in battle. Constantly, Neji held his fists tightly. Gone were the restraints, the fears, and the worries of war. He could not wait for battle. Beside him, his cousin was keeping up with his pace. His eyes remained ahead, inactivated, and eager to explore his new limits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm slightly alternating the use of the Hyuuga's curse mark. In this case, the curse mark limits the potential of the byakugan, prohibiting branch members from executing multiple styles of combat by blocking the two inner gates in the head. 
> 
> Deviance: the curse mark is implemented through the back of the neck, creating the blind spot. Some blind spots are larger than others. 
> 
> The War Arc storyline is changed heavily.


	6. First Battle: Coast of the Land of Lightning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji's gets trapped by a Zetsu clone but manages to break out of it. At night, while guarding the mid-line between the Coast and the foliage, he collapses. Kiba comes to rescue him. Through the night, Intel makes it to Commander Kitsuji's ear that the Coast needs help battling the Reanimated dead. Neji forbids Hinata from following him to the Coast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Major deviance for the War Arc (heads up)

The wind Neji bypassed brushed coldly against his skin, his hair grew weathered as they beat around the breezy night. Ahead, byakugan activated, he could see the 1st Division battling their first assault. In just a few more minutes, they'd enter the battle. "Everyone halt!" Kitsuji hollered. Neji landed on a branch and turned to his Division Commander. "We are at the end of the foliage! From here on out! We must stop the Zetsu clones at all cost!" In unison, his division waited for the cue to enter battle. Neji watched his commander closely, and at his signal, they dispersed into the battlefield.

Hinata remained within his range for him to protect her. As of now, he considered his aid to her to be a courtesy, for her father had lifted his curse mark. Neji was conflicted, his mind was scattered incoherently as he entered battle. He should be thankful for the removal of the curse, but he felt as if he did not deserve it. Besides, Neji has not noticed any changes in his sight. The first clone he attacked clung onto him in a venus flytrap-like assault. Neji realized that his chakra was being absorbed. He looked around him, realizing that continuous absorption would deplete him of his chakra until there was nothing left. Pressured, he released his first attack that consumed a great amount of chakra, "Jūukenhō Ichigekishin." Neji has used this before to escape the chakra-based web from the mission that almost killed him in his early years. From his peripherals, Neji saw its ribs expand from its skin, encapsulating him to be devoured.

"Foolish shinobi," he heard the Zetsu mock him. Neji saw his own chakra being mingled in massive amounts toward the clone's inner core, his own chakra replacing the former's. The clone easily fell through the earth, as not to be captured.

Neji then thought about Lee, someone like him was the perfect opponent to an enemy like this. However, he won't be joining Neji and Tenten in this battle. "I don’t want to start blowing out massive chakra. Then,” he paused, “I'll just have to decapitate them one by one!" Neji flew back from being captured by the hand of a Zetsu clone as it shot out from underneath the ground to grab him. Unlike Lee, who had only the smallest amount of chakra circulating through his system, Neji's body has been trained to evenly distribute his chakra throughout his body. With enough absorption, the chakra circulating around his body would eventually be gone. He had no way to counter it. Energy was retained in chakra, and he knew that he needed minimal access to it in order to perform taijutsu. Neji assessed his allied shinobi, and as expected, they were getting worn out. In quick his assessment, he found that the core was in the same position in every Zetsu clones. "If I'm numbered, I will use the byakugan," he noted. Even his own kekkei genkai used chakra considerably.

By the next nightfall, Neji was exhausted. Like everyone else, he had his limits. But it did not matter much because through the long battle, he discovered his new limitations. If the curse mark was still with him, he wouldn’t have lasted this long. The Zetsu clone assaults halted for the first time since last dusk. He understood that he had little time to recover before the next assault began. Exhausted from staking out for several hours, he fell to the rubble of disrupted earth. He had little chakra left to survive on. "Oi! Neji!" he heard Kiba's voice. "Akamaru, go get him!" Soon, a soft and fluffy thing touched his hand. Neji sat up and crouched, with barely any energy left to climb onto the dog. "We should get you to the Medical Division."

"No," Neji declared. He rested on the back of Akamaru, "I need to stay near the battle," he breathed out. Both of Neji's arms swayed as Akamaru brought him to Kiba's aid.

"You are quite stubborn," Kiba whined. He took out a few of Choji's energy pills and placed it to Neji's lips. "You ought to remember these," he commented before pushing them into Neji's mouth. Neji remembered these bitter pills; it would help him regain his chakra back faster. His eyes fluttered between the edge of unconsciousness as he watched Kiba assessing the casualties. "1st Division discovered that the Zetsu clones can imitate Allied Shinobi to the exact detail," Neji sat up on Akamaru, watching the revival of Zetsu clones in the form of their shinobi attacking the survivors of the first assault. "There is no way to distinguish between who is who," Kiba added. He and Akamaru turned them around back to the safe zone that was established behind the line of the battle, "Regardless, the Inuzuka’s noses can’t be that weak, can it?” Kiba turned to him and grinned. “C’mon Akamaru.”

The night did not pass by silently. Intelligence has made it to the safe zone that Kabuto’s Impure World Reincarnation caused powerful deceased shinobi from many generations to enter the war. Upon hearing the intel, Neji got to his feet just as the Reanimated shinobi stepped onto the coast of the Land of Lightning. He had barely recovered just enough chakra, but he knew he was needed at the front lines and was preparing to leave for the frontier to aid the 1st Division staked at the coast of the Land of Lightning. “Brother,” his cousin’s voice called to him.

Neji turned to her with Kiba by his side. Kiba inferred that Hinata had returned from the Medical Division when they arrived at the safe zone a few hours earlier. “Hinata-sama,” he greeted her with urgency. “Intel has made it here that the coast need reinforcements to battle, stay here and be my eyes,” he urged. There was no time to waste. Other Allied shinobi were already setting out to the coast. “The majority of Hyuuga remains here, including you.” And without another word, Neji took off into the direction of the frontier.


	7. New Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji discovers the changing effects of his byakugan whilst trying to find Hiashi in the 1st Division. When Neji overcame the change, Hiashi tells him to retreat. Neji has to fight a Zetsu clone before going to his uncle's rescue.

The first thing Neji did was to find his uncle in the 1st Division. In the darkness of the night, he activated the byakugan. But upon using it, his eyes suddenly hurt. There was no possibility that the pain was due to using it too much. In his training days, just a few hours of rest restored chakra and byakugan usage wasn't hindered. The black and white vision that had always accompanied his byakugan became staticky. By chance, he witnessed a mirage of colors seeping into his sight. Neji blinked, unsure if his eyes were defaulting. However, he was still able to manipulate what he saw, zooming further and further toward the coast. Suddenly, the visual information that he was receiving was too fast for him to comprehend. It was as if he could not control the manipulations he was purposefully doing. This type of problem had only occurred once, and that was when he first activated his byakugan as a child. He was not able to control his eyes like he used to be able to do. Neji stopped dead in his tracks and observed the chaos of his inability to command his eyes. Hastily, he carefully reregulated the amount of chakra running to his eyes and was able to gain oversight of them. “Hey! You Hidden Leaf shinobi!” a voice called to him. Neji’s eyes slowly shifted toward the voice, “What’s going on ahead?!” The foliage continued to surround them.

With his eyes back under control, he peered straight ahead, “They’re no ordinary resurrected shinobi,” Neji entailed. “Kages and dangerous rogue shinobi are at the border.” He hurried to catch up to them while still trying to get used to the discolored visions being fed to him. Neji was unsure of what the change in his eyesight meant. Normally, his byakugan would not allow any color to infuse itself into his perception. He was afraid he was going to lose his eyesight for it was so abnormal to him. “I need to calm down,” he whispered to himself.

Another problem arose: images that he saw as he scanned across the land surface were overlapping each other and doing so too quickly for him to even understand what he was seeing. “Slow down,” he cautioned to himself, the images were moving faster than before, “Slow down!” His chakra regulation to the eyes was spiraling out of control and he immediately thinned it. Suddenly, it was as if he was swallowed by a void, his senses were all muted with the exception of his eyes. In this void-like aura, the moving images in his focus slowed to a halt, like a reel slowing to a stop. And from there on, it slowly began to speed up little by little until Neji was able to find a pace that could allow him to digest the images. “Did I just down reactivity time to zero?” The void popped and he found his answer. The byakugan was notorious for allowing users to perceive fast-moving objects to a certain degree. With prolonged training, one would be able to perceive transmissions like the speed of light and slow it down to that of an unmoving object.

As for the colors that blurred through the grayscale of his byakugan, Neji noticed that it was nonexistent when he was hit with the minor void. “Then, why did the colors-” in an instant, as if it were waiting for him to allow them to exist, the vibrant colors burst into his line of vision. A myriad of colors fixated onto the shadows in the night. He could see colors, original colors of his surroundings from the red emblem on his Allied Shinobi’s back, to the dark-toned muted colors of the open plains. Neji’s eyes widened the moment his focus went straight to the sea. It was an electrifying ocean of dark blue. “What is going on with my eyesight? It’s as if I can see it clear as day!” It made no sense to him. “Is this the true powers of the byakugan?”

Regardless of the differences, he pressed on until a familiar face came within range. It was his uncle standing a few meters from the cliff of the coast with his eyes activated. Neji rushed toward him to aid him. Hiashi sensed his nephew, “Get back!” he heard his uncle yell to him. Neji stopped and watched his surroundings. The 1st Division seemed as if they had taken no collateral at all, even with all 1st Division shinobi bodies strewn about around the plains. Neji recalled what Kiba told him about the Zetsu clones’ abilities.

Upon taking a closer look at the 1st Division shinobi standing about, he fixated his direction on their chakra. “I see,” Neji whispered. He could see it, Neji was absolutely sure that the Allied shinobi walking around were Zetsu clones. He could tell, just from the chakra base of each body. The Zetsu clones’ core storage has the Allied shinobi’s chakra, and it was being used to completely transform the clones to mimic the deceased shinobi. If the byakugan simply glossed over a shinobi, it would not be able to pick up the minor instability of both chakra mingling together. Neji could see the discrepancy with just the chakra alone as it emitted a pulsatile flow through the rest of the body. “They’ll need to be taken care of first.”

“Oh, dear,” Neji heard a voice thunder from below him. He jumped away as a Zetsu clone emerged from the ground, “You are a nuisance, byakugan user.” The Zetsu clone stared at Neji’s eyes and his eyes widen. The clone chuckled sardonically, “In my millennium waiting for the perfect opportunity to spawn Mother, I have never seen such an advanced byakugan user like you,” it continued to stare at Neji’s eyes. “Your eyes would be a waste if you die!” With one hard thrust, the Zetsu clone lunged at him. It had taken the Zetsu clone several hours to sneak the copies of the Allied shinobi into battle. “I suppose my mission has failed, by a lousy byakugan user!” His plan of attacking the Allied shinobi from inside was exposed. Without a second to waste, Neji pulled out a kunai and parried the clone’s straightforward punch. Pumping chakra into the hand that held the kunai, he chopped the clone’s torso, breaking the chakra core. The Zetsu clone laughed as it tumbled to the ground. Neji stood over it as the clone looked up at him with an evil smile. “My efforts can’t be wasted here,” he snickered. As the clone reduced itself to nothing, the Zetsu clone copies that imitated the Allied Shinobi began to seep back into the ground. All around him, unknowing shinobi shrieked and gripped their weapons tighter. Neji turned to his uncle once more and headed his way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's say the default Byakugan's vision is originally black and white.


	8. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji fights his father's reanimated body.

“Neji! Leave!” he heard his uncle’s plea again. Hiashi had never moved from his place, his focus was elsewhere. From below the cliff, his uncle’s eyes remained. Neji glanced down to the cliff and spotted an all too familiar face scaling the wall of the cliff. His eyes widen at the shock. “Leave!”

“Father,” Neji muttered. There was no mistaking that the person heading his way was the man who sacrificed himself for the clan. His heartbeat slowed and his feet refused to move, despite his uncle’s orders. The curse mark on his father’s forehead was long gone but his eyes remained. 

Hiashi, noticing the lack of response from his nephew, stepped in front of Neji, becoming the barrier between the father and son. Alas, his brother arrived at the cliff. “Hizashi,” he addressed the resurrected corpse. “Why do your eyes remain to your body?” The question struck Neji’s ears, he too, needed answers from his father too. Hiashi has told him in the past that the Hidden Cloud elite wanted the Hyuuga’s powerful eyes. It was the reason why they demanded a body or a war will ensue. Neji wondered too why his father still had his eyes. The Hidden Cloud could have easily taken his father’s eyes, however, they did not. 

“The byakugan is only useful if the host is alive,” Hizashi explained, “the Hidden Cloud had no use for a pair of dead eyes.” Neji watched as his father stepped closer toward them, his body in the stance to fight. “The Impure World Reincarnation that brought my eyes back, did not bring with it the curse mark. Hiashi, it is not my intent to fight,” he tried to clarify. 

“The Impure World Reincarnation only brings back those who died in vain, you shouldn’t have returned if you left without animosity,” Hiashi countered. “Fight me if you will.” He glanced back behind him to where his nephew was, “You shouldn’t have shown yourself in front of your son.”

Hizashi’s eyes met with his son’s, and for a moment, he was able to fight against the castor’s power over his body to lowered his stance. “Neji,” he heard his father call to him. That comforting voice that abandoned him, Neji never forgot his father’s sound. 

“Father,” Neji replied in exasperation. 

The expression on his father’s face changed from a pleasing smile to that of bewilderment. His father has never looked at him with such perplexity, “Your irises,” he observed, “they have a blue ring.” Hiashi’s ears perked from the mention of Neji’s sight. He turned to his nephew and he too displayed disbelief. 

“A voided byakugan,” Hiashi expound, “Mukōgan?” Neji was in utter shock. Not only did he not know what it meant, he had no idea what it looked like. He had no idea what a mukōgan was and could not absolutely make sense of having a blue ring in his eyes. 

Neji’s eyes focused on his father. There were so many things they’ve had to resolve, but he only needed one. The one thing he wanted to show his father was his reason for living even after losing the most beloved person that meant to him. “I will fight him, Hiashi-sama,” he declared. Neji could have easily chosen not to live with his father gone from his world. He had chosen to discard the hostility between his uncle and cousins. Neji had changed, and he wanted his father to learn to forgive his uncle as he did, “I have to do this,” he told his uncle. Without approval, Neji lunged toward his father. His father leaped back, falling back down to the ocean water below the cliff. It was only the two of them now. 

When Neji woke up from his slumber on that fateful day, the sun had already risen. The morning was chilly but he didn’t care. His father promised to train with him personally the night before and he was eager to learn more. Thinking about it now, Neji could still remember how delighted he felt that morning. But reminiscing about it will do him no good, “Father,” Neji called to Hizashi. From the waves of the ocean that crashed upon the shore, he was barely audible. “Why did you do it?” It was a question he never had the chance to ask. 

Hizashi smiled with genuine, “My son, you’ve grown up well.” His son had already become a young man at the blink of an eye. Suddenly, the castor’s power over him overtook his body once more. Neji watched as his father he struggled against his own body. Then, his father had resumed his fighting stance once more, and this time he was going to attack him. “Watch out!” his father yelled. Neji dodged with ease, jumping high, his eyes never leaving his father. The last memory of his father was his sweet smile as he patted Neji’s head. Neji shook the memory away. “You must kill me for good!”

He knew what he had to do, but Neji was unwilling to execute his father just as easily. “Why did you choose to die?” Neji asked him as he landed back onto the surface of the water. He missed his father, and all the would-be memories they would have had together as a family. “Why did you do it?”

Hizashi ran toward his son, his body creating the jūuken to attack. “Because, I wasn’t strong enough,” Hizashi admitted. Neji blocked his father’s gentle fist. “You’ve turned out to be a great shinobi, Neji,” Hizashi admired his son. He was torn of his love for his own son. And now seeing how much it affected Neji, he regretted his decision for sacrificing himself. “I’m sorry that I couldn’t guide you into adulthood, Neji,” Hizashi blamed himself. “If only I was strong enough, I would have accepted the war and protected you-”

“I’d rather have the war than lose you,” Neji interrupted his father. “Without you, father, it was harder to guide myself to learn that my destiny was my own.” Neji had found the strength to live, and the strive to become stronger. His father dashed toward him, every step with the intent to kill. Neji pushed his tears away and ran toward his father, “I grew up fine, and I have my destiny in the palm of my own hands!” If Neji lingered his feelings for too long, he was afraid he wouldn't be able to defeat his father. There was no doubt that making the decision to destroy his own father was hard, but he'd rather it be him than anyone else. Neji activated the void within his eyes again, slowing down his own perception of his father’s precise jūuken. “Without you, I was able to find my own strength!” Neji dodged the attack and landed his own jūuken against his father, throwing his father back several meters, “The power you lacked, I was able to find it!” Hizashi broke down into tears when he regained his stance. Being able to control his own body for a mere second, he allowed his son to finish his attack. Neji whizzed in front of his father and landed a decisive blow to the heart, closing the 8th inner chakra gate. “I was able to grow up fine without you!” Neji watched with concern as his father skidded across the coast of the surface. Hizashi was able to get to his knees and he wiped his eyes. Neji deactivated his eyes hurried to hold onto his father for one last time. “Father,” Neji sighed in desperation. “I will do fine without you. You don’t need to worry about me,” his tears finally fell. “You don’t have to worry about me anymore.” 

Hizashi nodded in acknowledgment and smiled for one last time. Being in his son’s arms, and being able to let go of the anguish that consumed him, the same anguish that resurrected him, Hizashi could finally go without any lingering feelings for the world. “Neji, you must survive,” hearing the last words his father said to him before his death, Neji’s tears cascaded endlessly. He hadn’t cried for a long time, causing his eyes to hurt and his to head feel as if it was going to explode. Hizashi raised his hand to Neji’s head, just like the last gesture from when he was alive and patted his son goodbye for the last time. Neji’s closed his eyes as he tried to swallow the tears away. In a sudden, his father burst into a million crystal pieces. Neji tried to dry his tears, wiping them away with the hem of his sleeve. He had to be strong, and seeing his father for the last time in this way was inevitable. However, he was able to send his father away in peace. Neji was at war, and he reminded himself over and over again to bury his newfound reconciliation for the time being. He turned to look at the cliff far above him and was ready to fight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mukōgan is a made up doujutsu for the byakugan.
> 
> The fight has to finish quickly because they are at war and Hizashi is an enemy.


	9. Your Life is Not Your Own

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji fights Kidomaru on his way back from the Coast to his division. His division attacks him, mistaking him for the imposter that killed shinobi in the Medical Division. Afterward, Neji tells Hinata not to sacrifice her life for anyone as Naruto joins the war.

The sun rose from the East, where the ocean’s horizon was. His heart felt lighter than before, and time after time, his uncle would check on him from afar just to assure of his health. But Neji felt fine, better than before. “Understood, Commander Kitsuji.” His commander had instructed a few of the Allied shinobi from the 2nd Division to bring the whole platoon to the coast to help Naruto. Neji began his way back to the safe zone. “Mukōgan,” he whispered to himself. “What powers come with this new form of the byakugan? Could it just be the void?” Upon landing on a tree branch, Neji was unable to jump off. He stared down his feet and realized that webs were covering the branch. “Can it be?” he asked himself. Neji activated his byakugan, unsure if he should even call it that. He saw, within those webs, chakra-based substance ninjutsu. “Kidomaru?”

“That’s right!” Neji turned to the voice, locating his former opponent from miles away. “What a coincidence to have a rematch!” He could see that the arrow was already pointed at him, “This time,” he uses his feet to draw the bow back, already had transformed to the monster version of himself, “it will be your game over!” In a millisecond, the arrow reached Neji’s area of assault. With the jūuken, he freed himself from the web binding his soles and then jumped to the side, hoping to lose the arrow. “Not so fast!” he heard Kidomaru yell. The arrow had turned itself directly toward his chest, aiming straight for the heart. Neji made a quick substitution and allowed his clone to be subjected to the arrow’s strength. He watched from above as the arrow pinned his clone to the nearest tree, striking a massive calamity to the tree trunk. Neji landed on a nearby branch, closer to Kidomaru. “You’ve got gimmicks up your sleeve now, huh?!” Neji squinted at his opponent, watching his mouth open to expose a barrage of gold kunai heading straight toward him. There was no need to evade an attack such as this, Neji thought. He’d be wasting energy conjuring the trigrams and the kaiten, his absolute defense. Neji focused on the golden kunai, and as if his mind wanted it, every weapon slowed enough in time for him to deflect them. Neji guessed the kaiten would have worked just fine, but he did not use it in order to conserve his chakra. He leaped into the air, heading straight for his opponent. Kidomaru smirked and sputtered a long projectile for a direct hit as Neji was still in the air. Neji could see the projectile heading straight at him without a second to lose. He then warped Kidomaru’s attack to the slowest he could manage without using the mukōgan. And easily, Neji connected his soles to the bottom side of the long projectile and headed directly for Kidomaru. He landed the jūuken to Kidomaru’s chest, knocking his opponent off of the branch from which he stood onto the ground. His opponent groaned and coughed up dry spells. He was a corpse who no longer had blood within himself.

This time, he will win, and he will make sure Kidomaru never return with the resurrection jutsu. “Now,” Neji began, “it’s truly a game over.” Neji drew a kunai into his opponent’s neck and decapitated the corpse in one swift motion. His old foe has stalled him for far too long. Neji scurried to the safe zone and immediately, his allied comrades began to assault him. “What is this!?” He parried two shurikens with the flick of his hand and stepped back.

“Just kill him!” an allied shinobi insisted. He ran toward Neji, combining a series of hand signals before his arms and hands became inflamed in the color red.

Neji merely leaned his torso to the left, allowing his hands to direct the Allied shinobi’s attack as he had planned before using his own chakra to counteract with the force. Neji’s right hand firmly grasped the Allied shinobi’s wrist. The Allied shinobi panicked, and Neji could see the man’s left hand double-crossing his own right hand to try to land a heavy blow to his face. There was no way Neji was going to allow that. His left hand immediately shielded his face, his chakra forcefully entering the Allied shinobi’s palm tenketsu. That blow would have easily knocked him out at such speed if he hadn’t activated the byakugan. Neji pushed the man off and entered his fighting stance. From the looks of the Allied shinobi’s chakra, he was no Zetsu clone. “Explain yourself!”

The Allied shinobi landed onto his feet and examined what he believed to be the infiltrator. Upon seeing the Hyuuga’s trademark kekkei genkai, he repealed his ninjutsu, “I apologize,” Neji retracted his activated eyes and listened to the clarification, “yesterday night, word has it that a Zetsu clone, disguised as you, entered the Medical Division and killed five medic-nin. There was a high possibility that the clone could show up again,” the Allied shinobi looked behind him and Neji’s eyes followed. “Everyone has been on their nerves, wary about the situation.”

“So that’s what it was,” Neji commented. He summoned that it must have been the first Zetsu clone who had absorbed his chakra with the venus flytrap-like jutsu. “Forget about that, Commander Kitsuji has received intel to move 2nd Division into the battlefront. The jinchuuriki is arriving at the part of our war.”

Shortly arriving, Hinata, Kiba, and Shino were able to meet him. As Neji acknowledged them with a nod in their direction, he could already imagine his cousin falter at the news of Naruto joining the fight. He has seen how far Hinata was willing to go for Naruto, and he doesn’t think, that the time between then and now, she has changed one bit. He was afraid that she would sacrifice herself for him again, and if he was too far away, she could be killed. Neji halted himself from joining the first few Allied shinobi toward the coast and walked to Hinata. “Hinata-sama,” the distraught woman looked to him. “Your life is not your own, you can’t do as you please for my life, along with those who wish to protect you, our lives are yours as well.”

Hinata bit her lips and agreed with him, “I understand, brother.” The way she was frowning, he knew that it may as well fall onto deaf ears. Neji glanced at her comrades, hoping they’ve heard him. Kiba gave him a reassuring nod.

Gathered at the coast of the Land of Lightning, Neji awaited the arrival of Naruto at the coast, along with his clan members, including his uncle and his cousin. While they battled the Zetsu clones for the first two nights, they’ve lost almost half of their shinobi. It was then that Neji Thought about his friends. He hoped that Lee and Tenten were alive. While on the concern of them, he, no matter how much he’s searched as he waited for Naruto’s arrival, he could not find Tenten in the 1st Division. She was in his uncle’s Division, and he could not find her. Without any sight of her, Neji became bitter. He did not want to conclude that she must have died, but his mind kept on returning to the same conclusion. Throughout the first night, destruction surrounded their Division, but they were never in the calamity. Neji believed that the 1st Division must have taken almost all of the assault with the resurrected shinobi. They’ve promised to find each other again after the war was over, but he knew that holding on to the tiny hope of her being alive was futile. His uncle had told him that the last time he saw Tenten was before the arrival of the Zetsu clones. His war was minute compared to the others. Neji felt his body convulse just at the thought of seeing Tenten’s lifeless body. He couldn’t find her and no has seen her since two days ago. He wanted to give up already for failing to keep her at the front of his mind, her and Lee both. This was a mistake Neji could never forgive himself.

From afar, Neji could sense the summoning of a large beast. Almost a full minute later, the ground rippled underneath his feet. “The Ten-Tails has been summoned! We need to aid Naruto now!” he heard Commander Kitsuji alert the 2nd Division. Fear struck his inner spine as the beast wrangled a disembodied cry. He hadn’t had the chance to see who was controlling the tailed beast before his Division, along with the 1st Division were mobilized to aid in the attack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Deviation from the anime where Neji fights with Kidomaru.


	10. Sacrifice! Konoha's Lotus Flower Blooms Thrice!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji must make the difficult choice to protect his cousin or Naruto during the war. In doing so, he envisions several alternatives to his one decision to sacrifice himself.  
> A lotus petal summons itself in the midst of the war.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Major deviation from Shippuden.

The sun was up high. Neji felt the heat take a toll on him. As both Divisions arrived, Neji discovered that the 3rd Division was decimated. It was clearly obvious from the mass amount of bodies scattered across the plain field. Neji focused on the giant tailed beast, seeing that it was controlled, barely in fact, by two rogue shinobi. There was no time to waste to gawk at the monstrosity. Wood projectiles rained down from the tips of the ten-tail’s fingers. The closer it came to the ground, the larger it became. Neji first deflected them with his absolute defense, the Hakkeshō Kaiten, before discovering Naruto faced down on the ground, depleted of chakra. The barrage showered onto the shinobi nonstop and before he could even react, his uncle appeared beside him to deflect the projectiles, obliterating them with the trigram vacuum palm. “Don’t let your guard down! Neji!” his uncle shook him out of the initial shock. And to his right, his cousin speeded past him to cover for Naruto.

“Naruto-kun!” Neji heard his cousin approach Naruto's side. All around him, unsuspecting and tired Allied Shinobi fell into death, unable to evade the wood projectiles. His cousin blasted an air palm toward the incoming barrage, “I will protect you!”

Naruto looked up to see a familiar face, “Hinata-chan,” he exhaustly expelled. “I need time to recover my chakra,” he heaved.

“Don’t worry Naruto!” Neji stepped in front of him. His uncle accompanied his side, “We all are here to protect you!” Around him, Neji saw the familiar faces of Konoha, teachers he knew, comrades he knew, they were all battling against their tired selves. In any moment, anyone could die, and it mustn’t be Naruto. Before another attack rained down on them, his eyes traced a beam of pure energy escaping from the tailed beast’s mouth. Neji’s byakugan reformed itself permanently at that moment. He watched the beam closely, seeing that it has turned into a ball, and it was heading straight for the Intelligence Division located far from the Land of Lightning. “The Intelligence Division!” he shouted. The Intelligence Division was obliterated the moment he yelled to its attention. In a split second, he picked up the tearful eyes of his friend, Shikamaru. Neji then realized that his focus has multiplied into complication. His eyesight remained in color, the black and white that accompanied his byakugan were completely filtered out. Regardless of where his eyes were focused on, he still maintained full awareness of his surroundings. Normally, his byakugan only allowed one or the other. Because of this immediate solidarity to almost 360°, Neji’s body was able to react to the wood projectiles coming directly toward him from the back, but still remaining out of his blind spot. Neji blasted the projectiles away with an air wall palm, accompanied by his uncle. He knew he shouldn’t be able to do both with the byakugan. “Is it the mukōgan?”

“Neji! Flank them from the right!” Hiashi yelled at him.

Without a moment to lose, Neji jumped to the right, “Got it!” Instantaneously, he and his uncle executed their kaiten, ricocheting massive amounts of wood projectiles of varying sizes. After dispelling the absolute defense, he knew it wasn't enough to guard Naruto for long if he continued to expel precious amounts of chakra, “If I just keep up with the storm of projectiles, just within Naruto’s area-” he thought to himself. Neji pulled out a kunai, putting himself between the barrage and Naruto while his cousin remained close to him. “I will be able to stall time just enough for Naruto to recover,” he mentally noted.

“Wow,” Naruto complimented him, “Neji, you really are a genius!”

Everything moved so slowly as Neji got used to his new eyes. But even though he perceived the attacks slowly, his body still had to counter them. He could only move so fast with the depleting chakra he had left. “I need to be faster,” he desperately reached for another kunai to dual wield and block the wood projectiles one at a time. “I’m not fast enough!” He already noted before how heavily the air-wall palm and his kaiten uses chakra. Neji felt his muscles aching with each strike. Projectiles escaped his grasp and were intercepted by his cousin. Surrounding him were the wood projectiles implanting themselves onto the Earth. Everywhere he looked, the shinobi he knew were barely holding on. If only Tenten were to be alive, she’d summon a barrier to block these neverending onslaught and give Naruto more than enough time to recover. Neji supposed that asking for a miracle right at this moment wasn't going to make the situation any better. Tenten was more than likely, dead, he finally accepted it. If he had it this hard, she'd be on the brink of death. “I am almost depleted of my chakra,” he noted. Beside him, he saw his uncle struggling to even form a correct air-wall palm. “No-” he frantically begged, “I am going to collapse!” He felt his eyes deactivate themselves on their accord. “This can’t be the end!” Neji saw another bombardment of projectiles heading straight toward him, their shadows casting right on him. He couldn’t move a muscle and fell to his knees, drained of all of his energy. “It will strike me any time now,” he waited.

The sound of Naruto’s ecstatic holler awoke him from his defeat, “Thank you, Neji! I made it into Sage mode just in time!” Neji, hearing this,  snapped his head up as Naruto began to throw massive amounts of what he believed to be rasen-shuriken toward the projectiles. For a flashing moment, Neji could breathe and rest; he closed his eyes, really wishing for the war to end right now. He was tired of it all. The moment he heard a loud thump, his adrenaline kicked right in. Neji opened his eyes to find Naruto down on his face once more. “Oh god,” he heard the whiskered man muttered. To his left, Neji saw the exhaustion steaming from his uncle’s face. And to his right, his cousin has prepared herself to stop the projectiles with her air palms. He needed to act quick as the barrage started to rain down on them again.

Neji couldn’t stop fighting and let others do the work. He had to protect what the future needed, and that was Naruto’s life. “Dammit,” he cursed, getting to his feet as quickly as he could. He won’t sacrifice his families’ lives for Naruto either. The situation was hopeless and he began to lose hope in himself. Neji forcefully activated his eyes again and ran as fast as he could to recover his uncle from harm. “Hiashi-sama!” he cried as he relocated his uncle from the dangerous projectiles. With his uncle safe, he needed to scurry back to Naruto before Hinata does anything senseless.

Midway, Neji saw that she failed to complete the air-wall palm. Hinata was completely out of chakra to execute the jutsu anyway. Despite that, she wouldn't budge from Naruto’s side. His eyes slowed the perception of the projectiles heading straight for her and he used it as a moment to make a quick decision. If he jumped to sacrifice himself at this moment, he'd barely spare his cousin and Naruto from the projectiles. If he performed his kaiten in mid-air to deflect them, his meager amount of chakra would never form sufficiently reach them in time. “I’ve barely any chakra to make the air-wall palm,” he finalized. Neji was scared to death. He didn't want to die, yet he knew he had to do something in order to protect the future. With one hard leap, he surfaced between the projectiles and his cousin. There was no way to save them both, to collect them both, and there was definitely no way to change his mind. His activated eyes, filled with the life of colors before him, turned black and white once more. However, it was not reverting to the byakugan. No, Neji did not see the world in black and white. His eyes displayed before him, a view of white; it was blinding and inescapably forlorn.

When Neji died, it was pitch black. His body laid almost lifeless in a serene scenery. He was only 14 then.

Neji believed he has died upon seeing the white spectacle before him. The war was finally over for him. Yet strangely, he couldn’t breathe in that fleeting moment. He couldn’t move, and his body was engulfed in chilling white rays. Everything slowed down at that moment. “Am I regretting it?” he asked himself the question. Had he regretted the decision to sacrifice himself? “I haven’t had the chance to repay Tenten for her genuine care, nor had the chance to settle Lee and I’s rivalry. I haven’t had the chance to properly bid myself goodbye yet,” he reflected. “Does it matter? They’re probably both dead. And I should follow them,” he concluded. Neji groaned at the pain of the wood projectiles entering his body. His eyes remained fixated on his cousin’s back. Surrounding him were his friends: Shikamaru, Kiba, Shino, Naruto, and Sakura; their mouths were wide and agape. “Am I finally dead?” Neji couldn’t tell.

Unexpectedly, his body phased and began to glitch, “No,” he corrected himself direly, “I can’t be dead.” That weird static feeling that accompanied the glitch was all too real. Then the white blinding light appeared before him again. It was his field of vision, but the series of images displayed before him were incoherent. All of those mental images collided, developing one true image, and that image was the image of his cousin’s back. “What?” he yelled in vain. He didn't understand what he was seeing. Neji was subjected to peering onto his cousin’s back again. His eyes were still activated and the projectiles were coming right at him again in the line of his blind spot.

Still dumbfounded, Neji looked at his chest to find no wounds of any kind, “Wasn’t I just impaled?!” he asked himself. “What is this?!” he questioned the unresponsiveness of the white light. Suddenly, a puff of smoke blew out right behind him. Neji smelled burnt sealing paper enter his nose and the feeling of somebody pressed against his back. He heard an all too palpable shriek, resembling that of his friend. And then a pain radiated to his cavity. Neji looked down again, seeing the same wood projectiles impaling him once more. He looked around, surrounding him were his friends’ traumatic faces, their mouths wide agape.

“Neji,” he heard an all too real voice call his name. Neji slowly looked over his shoulder to identify the person pressed against him. Her back was pressed to his’ and that was all she said. His breath choked the moment he saw Tenten, impaled with him. Her eyes that were filled with life soon dulled, and her head fell forward to a limp.

Somehow, she summoned herself in between him and the projectiles at the last minute. Neji’s eyes widen and he wouldn't accept it. “Tenten!” he shrieked whilst wallowing in his own agony; the projectiles gravely injured him.

Neji soon felt his body phasing again, glitching with every nerve transmitting signals to his eyes. He was subjected to his cousin’s back for the third time, “It can’t be!” he denied the visions. His chest bore no wounds at all. "It's coming, the projectiles!" Soon he'd be impaled again- _“Gwuak!”_   He heard Tenten’s voice again. “No!” Neji looked back once more to find that only she had been impaled and not him. The smoke that announced her summoning dissipated and Neji saw his friends surrounding him with their faces in shock, mouths wide agape. “Tenten!” he wailed to her. He couldn’t even catch her lifeless body before his body phased again, glitching with the flow of time as it pleased. The white canvas that displayed his demise turned pitch black.

Reawakened, Neji felt his eyes strain. His eyes remain absolutely activated, but they were in colors once more, “Mukōgan?” His ears were muted in the white light that phased him, but he heard every single thing around his battlefield once he regained consciousness from the odd experience. Right in front of him, Neji saw his cousin’s back facing him. “If this truly the real one then-” He suspected it was reality, in fact, he knew it. But before he could finish his thought, the projectiles were already coming directly at him in his blind spot. “This is impossible! My blind spot is? Gone!” He hadn't even noted or cared to think about his blind spot, but his discovery didn't matter. He was back in the real world, with no more bizarre voids nor visions to save him, and he would suffer the consequences for jumping in front of the people he needed to save. Neji accepted the defeat and prepared himself to take on the blow.

Suddenly, a puff of smoke materialized behind him and the familiar sense of sealing paper entered his nose. The cloud pushed him forward enough, throwing his head back. Neji’s heart dropped and he ceased to breathe. Were his visions hinting at Tenten’s death? Neji was afraid to look behind him. He deactivated his mukōgan instantly. “Please don’t let it be you,” he pleaded. Abruptly, a great shadow cast right from behind him. Neji saw the magnificent shadow conjure itself across a long mile on the surface of the land and even longer up to the sky. To him, it was a barrier of some sort, but he didn't know what it was. Neji landed on his feet with numerous eyes on him. Naruto, along with Sakura, Kakashi, his clan members, and his Allied shinobi, gazed at the godly structure before them. It repelled the wood projectiles with ease. This was not his doing. Someone has saved him and he did not know who it was.

“Brother!” Hinata stepped toward him, her eyes were delighted.

Naruto’s wide eyes looked straight at him and he grinned, “Neji! How did you do that?!” Naruto clumsily got to his feet, heaving heavily as his eyes scaled the structure. “You saved us!”

“Summoning a structure this big must have taken a big portion of chakra,” Kakashi mentioned. His eyes scaled the gigantic structure. “It looks like the upper half of a flower petal. A lotus?” They all heard the continuous barrage of wood projectiles hit the barrier on the other side.

Neji collapsed to his knees, turning toward the structure that spawned so close to him. He placed his hand on the metal substance that composed the structure, trying to feel for any chakra he was familiar with. “Konoha’s lotus flower blooms thrice,” he affirmed.

Hinata was struck with amazement. “Tenten-san!” Neji fondly let a smile perch on his lips. She was right, Tenten’s chakra was barely palpable within this giant structure.

“Tenten?!” Naruto repeated. He was amazed. Everyone was taking action while he wasn’t. “All right! I’m feeling pumped for battle!”

The ten-tails began to move and it stopped the barrage, allowing Division Commanders to communicate. The Intelligence Division no longer existed and now it was Naruto’s turn to fight for the future. Neji was finally strong enough to stand under the shadow of the lotus flower petal. This time, he wanted to live, to survive, just to see his friend. Tenten saved him, making sure that he kept his promise to live. He wished to see her, he now knew she must be alive. She must have been alive in order to have her seal be summoned. He wanted to see her.

However, the last thing he recalled was losing himself to a light coming from the sky. With his eyes deactivated, he knew that the cause was not the mukōgan. The moment he cast his eyes upon the light, he felt his chakra be manipulated. It was too late to dispel the genjutsu. Neji faintly saw the spawn of what seemed to be a giant root, possibly that of a tree. Tinier roots came down to him. And with his body becoming immobile as the genjutsu went under effect, the roots bound him from head to toe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Byakugan Abilities: Sees chakra pathway systems, sees tenketsu, sees within range (depends on the capability of the user), can perceive fast-paced movements only when entering "Hakke Rokujūyon Shō" and "Hakke Hyaku Nijūhasshō", can see almost 360°, can see through barriers. (Shown in the manga and anime)
> 
> Mukōgan Abilities: Retains original Byakugan abilities, can perceive fast-paced movements upon will (enters a void-like state), allows for full 360° vision, allows omniscient 360° vision whether or not there is an original pinpointed focus, can cast a void-like dimension to target.
> 
> Konoha's Lotus Flower Blooms = Lee  
> Konoha's Lotus Flower Blooms Twice = Neji  
> Konoha's Lotus Flower Blooms Thrice = Tenten


	11. Dream in the Infinite Tsukuyomi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji meets his father in the Infinite Tsukuyomi.

When Neji died, he expected his life to only be his. But now, he knew that he was responsible for many other lives as well. The first ones would be his teammates. He, however, would have never expected to be trapped in the Infinite Tsukuyomi. His meager eyes would never prepare him to counter such a genjutsu.

-

A bright light cascaded over his cheek. It was warm. Neji fluttered his eyes open to his room. The sun rays exploded into his room, lighting up every inch of his quaint quarters. He heard the sound of birds chirping away freely from the outside. Neji pulled the covers from his torso and blinked, trying to make the blurriness go away. To put it lightly that he was in a bliss would be a lie. Neji looked down to his attire, gone was his shinobi uniform, and instead, a loose light blue yukata adorned his body. He peered to his scars from a long while ago; they were still there. He brushed his fingers onto the scarred tissue. “Could this possibly be a dream?” he asked himself. The war was just seconds ago, and Neji hurried to his feet. He slammed the sliding door open and looked at his surroundings. It was quiet and undisturbed, just like any other day in Konoha. Neji pulled himself together. He knew that he mustn’t be complacent in this strange version of his village. Without sparing a second, he slid into his geta and hurried to see more of this world.

From his left to his right, the stores he always passed by remained the same to their places, the people had the same faces, and they merrily greeted him. Seeing the way they continue to wave to him made chills sprout from his spine. These people would never greet him in such a way, nor greet him at all in fact. Despite that, they regarded him highly, smiling at him, and waving good gestures to him. Neji shouldn’t accept it, but his conscience urged him to. “This isn’t right,” he repeated to himself. He needed to evade from everyone if they acted that way toward him. And then, out of nowhere, the thought of bumping into his friends came to his mind. Neji was compelled to stride further for an unknown reason, “Maybe,” he thought, “if I just see Lee and Tenten, I would be at ease. Maybe they can explain everything.” Even though the war lasted for less than three days, it felt longer than a whole month. He desperately wanted to see them to see if they were alive in this world, he believed it was a real world of his’ for the time being. The war had taken a toll on him, making him make choices he would have rejected if he had a clear mind. “I just need to know that they’re okay.” The idea that his friends, too, would be slightly off-setted never came to his mind.

“Oi! Isn’t that Neji?” he heard Lee’s distinguishable voice as he passed by an alleyway. “Isn’t it, Tenten?”

Neji backtracked and turned toward them as they walked toward him. Most definitely, they were his friends. The only missing things were their shinobi headbands and Lee’s shinobi vest. Neji’s pace toward them fastened and he was eager to meet them until Tenten began to run toward him. He gasped mildly, stopping in his tracks as she ran to him, severing the distance between the two of them. She pulled them close into an embrace, her face buried in his chest. “Neji,” her shaky voice hit his eardrums. Her arms were wrapped around his waist tightly, her tears began to wet his yukata. Neji, held his breath, refusing to return the gesture. He was confused. _“Has the war really ended?”_ he thought to himself. _“Why is Tenten genuinely, embracing me?”_ “I’ve missed you,” she muttered.

His eyes widen, and something continuously urged him to accept this kind of warped reality. Neji raised his arms, almost giving in to the temptation. “Is this really Tenten?” he questioned himself. She would never say words along those lines nor hug him out of the blue.

“Looks like your father released you earlier than expected,” Lee stated as he walked toward them, his hands nonchalantly in his short's pockets.

“My father,” he repeated in his head. In an instant, Neji’s arms that were to embrace Tenten did the opposite. He pried her off of him and his brows furrowed in confusion. It was now obvious that this kind of reality was not the real one. No matter how much Neji wanted to stay, he knew that he shouldn’t be here. “My father is dead,” Neji blatantly told Lee. He disregarded Tenten’s tearful eyes. “I saw him die right before my eyes-”

“You’ve the nerve to say that in front of me!”

Neji knew that voice. He spun around and at the end of the alleyway stood his father, alive and well with his arms crossed. “Father?” he almost couldn’t breathe. “This is impossible!” His father was healthy and breathing before his eyes. “No,” he shook his conscience back to order. “This isn’t real,” Neji argued. “You are dead.”

“Dead?” his father yelled after him. Neji frowned at the man, unsure of what to do. Before he could make any moves to leave, his father appeared before him and punched him on the head. Neji cowered to a squat, his hands massaged the pain away. “Can the dead punch you?! Huh?!”

The pain was real, and Neji could feel his mind’s clarity dissipate. There was no way that this world was real. “Could that light from the moon be a genjutsu? Who said it?” he pondered, “the Infinite Tsukuyomi?” Neji suspected that it might be so and stood up whilst the figure resembling his father chattered on. Neji closed his eyes and performed a hand signal, “Release!” he tried to disturb his chakra to break out of the genjutsu. Believing he had done it, Neji opened his eyes, only to find his father in his face. He leaned back to distance himself from the conman.

“Get back home!” his father yelled to him. Neji was taken aback when his father pinched his ear and dragged him away from Lee and Tenten. He groaned, not sure how to escape this man who resembled his father. “I told you, you are grounded for a whole week and instead, you go and sneak out to mingle with your woman-”

Upon hearing the last phrase, Neji froze. “My woman?” his heart began to beat quickly without his definite authorization. He swapped his father’s grasp on him and stopped following the man, “What do you mean my woman? You don’t possibly mean my comrade, Tenten— right?” Neji began to hyperventilate, “I don’t like her, she is my friend!”

Hizashi raised a brow at his son, “That’s not what you said three days ago.”

“I never said what you thought I said!” Neji argued. He would never have those kinds of feelings for Tenten. But despite his outright denial, the world that he was in was pressuring him to accept it. He smacked his lips and tried to refuse the manipulated events the world was displayed to him. Neji growled in irritation and ran on forward toward the safest place he knew: his compound.

Hizashi shook his head in disappointment. Neji heard his father’s words, “Teenagers these days.” He followed his son back home.

He beelined for his room and slammed his door shut, turned around, and leaned his back against the door, “I need to get out of here, this isn’t right.” With that being said, he glanced up to observe his bedroom. His room should also be misplaced if the world he was standing on wasn’t his’. However, upon close inspection, it was identical to his real one. Neji sighed, “It would have been fine if this was real,” he concluded. It would be nice to have a parent and his friends back. Neji buried his face into the palm of his hands and realized that the body he was inhabiting might not even be himself in the real world. “Right,” he convinced himself, “the mukōgan made me see all those different dimensions, or was it realities?” Quickly, he reached an epiphany, “The ‘me’ who died from those wood projectiles couldn’t be me now,” his hyperventilation increased, “that’s right because I lived. Because Tenten saved me,” Neji hurried to his drawer to prove his theory, “This body must be physically different. It’s not me,” he pulled the drawer out and searched for the only mirror he had. It was a rectangular one, encased in a carved wooden box. Neji raised the polished metal to his face and his heart stopped. Before his eyes, he could tell that the person staring right back at him was himself. Moreover, his curse mark was gone. Neji threw the mirror back into the drawer and shrieked.

Hizashi heard the sound of his son’s scream when he entered their compound gate. “This boy,” he shook his head. Neji cautiously picked up the mirror again, and this time, he activated his byakugan, at least, that was what he believed. He wanted to confirm what the mukōgan was. When Neji saw the bright blue circumference of his pupils, he was speechless. “Stop making a fuss in there!” Hizashi pounded on the door. Neji froze in horror at the unfamiliar sound. No one as ever hit his door in his entire life.

Neji brushed it off, “Is this the mukōgan?” he asked himself. “Is this what it looks like?” He shuddered at the overload of information. The world he was in was too perfect for him. Everything that he wanted, he had. His father was alive and lively, his curse mark has been erased, and his friends were here. Neji breathed slowly to dispel the hyperventilation. “It’s just,” he paused, “is this really what I want?” He wondered if he really thought about Tenten romantically. He knew that this world was fake, but if he accepted it so readily, he questioned whether he’ll be able to break loose of all these ties when he woke from the Infinite Tsukuyomi. “Will Naruto get us out of here?” The possible failure and inevitability to escape this dream tugged at Neji’s heartstrings. “If I can’t do anything in the real world, with my physical body rotting away, should I not be allowed to enjoy this world as my own?” he bit his lower lip and his eyes began to turn dull. “In here, I can’t affect the real world anyway.” Neji contemplated if he should interpret the mixed feelings with Tenten through this world. Without a second to waste, his eyes fully enveloped in a dull lavender hue.

* * *

 

Neji wondered where along his journey with his team, did he ever misplace his admiration for Tenten. He couldn’t find an exact occasion that he had ever thought of her in this particular way. “Then, why would the perfect world that is made for me, have Tenten as my woman?” Neji sat in his room on his disheveled bed as the sun began to set. Darker shadows began to cast itself over his thoughts as well. Just questioning the prospect of her and he had turned his dull eyes back to its original state. He did not want to be swayed by this enticing world. _“Teenagers these days_ , _”_ he recalled what his father said. “No,” Neji corrected himself, “He’s not my father, I mustn't get comfortable.” Neji was still a teen, the age at which he went to war. He placed his hands out in front of him, palms facing him. Neji gazed to his hands, fearful for himself. He knew he shouldn’t mingle with the people in this different world. They were not real, and if he became too attached, he might just limbo and lose his way in the real world.

He wondered what Lee and Tenten’s perfect world would be like. He wondered if he would be significant enough to exist in their world. Just the thought of it brought him to despair. He had never had the time to think about such things then. If the war never happened, maybe they all would still be out in the evening sun training until dark. Neji glanced out the opened door, the orange sun emitting the last of its warmth. He stood up and put on his old clothes. Wearing them again brought about nostalgic memories of his past intertwined with his friends’. Neji walked out of his room and into the courtyard. With night coming, he discovered that his father had lightened up their home with lanterns. Seeing his home this way made Neji feel homesick. “Maybe, if father was here, he would have done this,” he whispered to himself. “No matter how much I want to stay here, this is not the destiny I choose.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From this point on, everything will no longer follow the main storyline. Only some aspects are kept.


	12. The Spirit of Tenji

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hamura devises a plan to bring together the reincarnations of Kaguya and her lover Tenji to meet. Lore that ascends and assists the plot of Neji Gaiden.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a "lore" chapter, fleshing out the background of Hamura, Kaguya, and Tenji since they play a major role in Neji and Tenten's story.

It was true that Kaguya released people after erasing their memories and allowed them to thrive and prosper to create more people to feed the God Tree and bring to fruition of the “chakra fruit” that she needed. The lover she endeared, Tenji, was also casted with the Infinite Tsukuyomi but was never reborn as a Zetsu.

Hamura, through a millennium of guarding his mother’s resting place on the moon, learned that she had released his father from the Infinite Tsukuyomi, erased all of his memories, and allowed him to live his life as he should. Tenji remained the Emperor of the Land of Ancestors until his death. His lineage continued vaguely as the spawn of his own children dealt with their mother.

Hamura’s all-seeing eyes had deciphered the kin of his father. Surprisingly, the coincidence was far too unreal to deter. There was no way he would share such details to anyone. He, after informing his fraternal brother, Hagoromo of his intentions, was able to obtain the essence of life from his father’s last breath from his mother. When his mother broke free into the shinobi world, he had no choice but to guide his words to his father’s surviving kin. With the summoning of the ten-tails of the 4th Great Shinobi War, Hamura sent his a minor portion of his chakra down to the shinobi world. It split into two and materialized into a version of himself. He first attempted to overtake his father’s kin. Surrounding him, he could see the roots of the God Tree sprout lavishly from the earth. With the Infinite Tsukuyomi activated beforehand, it has made getting to his father’s kin more difficult. “The roots are already binding the child to feed itself, I must hurry,” Hamura hurried to the body.

The child has been devoured by the Infinite Tsukuyomi, and with the castor, his mother, too strong to overpower the genjutsu, Hamura decided to forcefully take the child’s physical being by force. “She’s accepted her perfect dream,” he stated. “Like this, you will have to be my puppet, for you now are unable to control your destiny.” Hamura snipped the root that bounded the child to the tree and implanted the essence of life of his father into the child. He placed the child’s body on the surface of the giant roots that sprouted. From within the smaller roots that cloaked that child’s body, a yellow glow emitted.

Alas, unraveled from the transformation was the figure of his father, Tenji. The essence of life brought about an illusion of the sort, turning the child’s physical clothes to mold into his father’s clothes. Tenji awakened, puppeteering the child's vessel body to life. His eyes were dull and lifeless, yet he was perfectly captured at the age at which he died. “You are embodying a kin of your lineage, father,” Hamura began, “for several years, I watched over mother’s resting place, trying to find you.” Tenji’s eyes widened, “Memories she’s omitted from you, she kept it deep within her cold heart. I now bestow to you, those memories-”

“You are not my son, I do not have a son,” Tenji’s disembodied voice exited through the mouth of the child. “My empress and I lived happily for the year we were brought together, our daughter—” he voiced. Hamura could still hear the voice of the child echoing from his father’s voice. Indeed, his father had lived with his empress after being set free from the Infinite Tsukuyomi. However, that was not the life that his father should have known. “Our daughter, is she alive?”

Without answering the question, and in much haste, Hamura implanted the memories his mother had stored, into the mind of the child. The child’s perfect dream would never falter with the genjutsu still activated. The part that encompassed her nature would continue to exist, even with the implantation of his father’s old memories into her mind. Hamura awaited his father’s full return. He wouldn't have known about his sons, but only that of his love for Kaguya. “Awaken, father,” he ordered.

His father clasped his head for several minutes, groaning at the pain that came with the old memories. And when the pain settled, his eyes landed upon the destruction of the world. “What’s going on?” He got to his knees and looked at the calamity in fear. He suddenly recalled Kaguya’s extreme powers and could not breathe. Not only did the world in which he wished to protect become ruined, he also lost the woman he loved.

Beside him stood Hamura, old in his age. “Look around you, father,” he demanded. His father looked to him, finding his eyes exactly like Kaguya.

“Who are you?” Tenji asked. “Why do you have Kaguya’s eyes?”

“I am her son,” he stated. “You made me.” Tenji was in disbelief. However, Hamura did not revive his father’s spirit to chat. “My mother, Kaguya, has caused our great world to die. She has become obsessed with the chakra fruit to maintain her power. She has lost her way.”

Tenji shook to his feet, seeing more of the destruction, “Kaguya caused this?” The woman he dearly loved has wanted peace. However, he could not see the peace within this devastation at all.

Hamura glanced at his father, the growth of determination grew greatly in his heart. He believed that the coldness of his mother’s heart would resolve if his father was alive. Had the beginning been different, the peace within this world would be different. Hamura believed that if his father continued to thrive beside his mother, he and Hagoromo would not have to seal their mother to the moon. Thus, Hagoromo’s sons would have never been swayed by jealousy, causing several generations to limbo. Because of the absence of his father’s love for his mother, because of his mother’s decision to release her lover back into the world, her heart grew cold and greedy. “I want you to meet with mother,” Hamura insisted. His father met his eyes and nodded. Hamura beamed with hope as he stepped back. “I will open a dimension, but there is more for me to do.” His father nodded once more, stepping into the opened dimension without hesitation. Once the dimension closed, Hamura glanced in the direction of the other half of his chakra.

Hamura fled to his other half, incising the root that hung the second child to the main root. He then merged with himself and brought the body to the surface of the giant root that sprouted from the earth. He could tell that the child was trying to resist the Infinite Tsukuyomi alone; trying to do so was futile. This child was a descendant to his mother, through a millennium, the child’s major destiny was never reached until now. Hamura did not want to take over the child’s body with his spirit for his consciousness alone was too weak to intercept his mother.

He hoped that his plans to warm his mother’s heart with his father would work. “It is no coincidence that you both meet for the second time,” he remarked to the unconscious child. Hamura could see it, the striking resemblance of the child to that of his mother. There was a purpose as to why both of his parents’ descendants had to meet again. With the child still struggling to accept his perfect dream, Hamura shrouded the child in a void from the moonlight that caused the Infinite Tsukuyomi. “Light that enters here will no longer affect you,” he explained. “You must be able to break the genjutsu, and journey on to your destiny.”

A problem still lingered deeply in Hamura's heart. He had no plausible way that this would work. Hamura needed another solution in the case that his first plan failed. "Ashura and Indra," he whispered. Their reincarnation might just be able to pull it off if these two children couldn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tenji and Kaguya are lovers.  
> Tenji's kin is traced back to Tenten and Kaguya's kin is linked to the Hyuuga clan, ultimately, Neji.  
> Tenji and Tenten are very similar: they actually have brown eyes, brown hair, and "buns" for hairstyles.  
> I'll only attribute Kaguya to Neji on the basis that the Hyuuga and the Ootsutsuki clan share the byakugan.


	13. Disturbance in the Body

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji finds a way to break out of his dream before he is consumed by it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're back in the Infinite Tsukuyomi.

When Neji first entered his dream, he deduced that it must have been a genjutsu. However, the more he lived in his dream, the more he came to understand the multifacetedness of his predicament. He began his deductions with the dream world first. The dream was an amalgamation of his desires, though nonexistent in real life. He realized that he was swimming in his subconscious. The dreams he’s dreamt of in the past and dreams of his perfect world prior to being stuck here, they all came together to form a cohesive world for him to live. Neji came up with this theory on his first night in this dream world. He had abandoned his compound and had gone walking alone in the middle of the night before intentionally stopping by the dango shop. The square bench that they always occupy after training was still there. The tree too swayed endlessly in the night’s breeze. The memories attached here did not exist in this dream world, but he couldn’t help but linger on it.

“A dream such as this,” he thought, “how should I view this situation?” Neji walked over to the bench and sat on it. He knew it was an inescapable dream and because a dream is not genjutsu, creating a disturbance in his chakra would not work. “If it’s an inescapable dream, then could it be comparable to a dream paralysis?” Neji has had many of those dreams where he couldn’t move. Paralyzed by the inability to awake completely, falling into a nightmarish slumber, he knew that all too well. “If that’s the case then, the only two options are,” Neji pondered that for a while. The only two options were to let the paralysis run its course or to force the body to move. However, Neji knew he could not let the paralysis run its course because the paralysis itself was the dream. Doing so meant he'd never be able to escape this alternate dream world for there was no definite end to it that he knew of. The second option was to force the body to move, and Neji knew he wouldn’t be able to do that. He saw for himself, before being fully engulfed by the roots, the way it constricted his body, rendering movement futile. “How will I leave this dream?”

“You’re out again?” he heard Lee’s voice call to him. “Why are you sitting here, Neji?”

Neji looked at his unusual comrade, “I don’t have time for you,” he pushed the presence of the man aside. “Go where you’re needed.”

Instead of leaving, Lee came and sat with him. He just returned from the hospital and wanted to chat. Neji was irritated at the minor annoyance. “Actually, I want to thank you for what you did,” Lee said to him, “even though you got grounded because of it.” Neji crossed his arms and was about to leave, “Thank you for protecting Tenten from those bullies.” It piqued his interest. Neji wondered what the whole ordeal was about, “Everyone kept calling her an orphan, knowing fully well that she doesn’t have parents,” Lee disclosed to him. “I’m thankful that you announced your love for her out so publicly, even though you didn’t have to say it in front of those bullies in the marketplace after beating them up.” Neji’s eyes widen. There was no possibility that he would have the guts to say something like that, let alone in public. “Even so,” Lee turned to him with a wide grin, “it took you long enough!”

The closeness made Neji lean back. Blood rushed to his cheek just as he tried to imagine the scenario in his head. Neji hurried to his feet and walked away from Lee, “I’m leaving,” he calmly replied. In truth, his heart was pounding like a musical drum. “Is this truly my feelings for Tenten?” he pondered. Neji growled and rubbed his temples with the fingers of his right hand. This world was all that he ever wanted. Neji didn't know if this was how he felt for her. “This isn’t the right time,” he emphasized.

After a long walk, he ended back at his home. Neji entered his compound and found his father standing in the middle of the courtyard with his arms crossed. He was inexplicably mad. Still, seeing the sight of having someone wait for him at home, Neji was comforted. “Neji, you have never been a difficult son to raise,” his father thundered, “why are you so ill-behaved all of a sudden?” That father figure lectured him. Neji wondered if his father would have been like this if he were to be alive. He wondered too if he would be a different person had his father lived. He heard his father mumble, “is this what normal teenagers act like?” Neji pushed that away and head toward his room, “It’s as if you’ve become a different person, Neji.”

Neji turned to face his father, “I don’t belong here, I’m not from this world,” he told him. Neji turned back to his room and continued walking toward it.

“You once said you wanted to change the world,” Hizashi voiced. He turned to his son, “and now you say you’re not from this world?” Neji opened the door as his father continued to speak. He believed he should not take advice from an imaginary being. “The world is already good, don’t you dare spoil it.”

It was right before dawn when Neji returned home to his bogus father's lecture. “I should be tired, but I’m not.” He walked to his bed and laid on it, wondering if he was worthy of his life. At the end of the day, he still wasn't able to choose his own destiny. For hours, he mangled in his blankets, staring at inanimate objects in his room. His father had brought him food outside, but he did not want to eat it. As a matter of fact, he wasn’t even hungry. _“You said you wanted to change the world… the world is already good, don’t you dare spoil it.”_ Neji summoned those words back into his mind. “Did I really say I wanted to change the world?” he asked himself seriously. In actuality, he wanted to change his fate, his clan, and their old ways. The world was too large for him to ever think about changing. “Why, would I spoil this world? It’s already a perfect world,” he stated blatantly.

Suddenly, Neji sat up and reassessed his words closely. This perfect world, he supposed, if he destroyed it, would it continue to be the perfect world he wanted? “The Infinite Tsukuyomi was hellbent on engulfing its victims to the perfect world,” Neji gasped and shook his head frantically, “if I make my perfect dream world a nightmare, would I escape the genjutsu?” He cleared his mind, trying to think of a solution from scratch. If Neji tainted this world, it would no longer be the perfect world for him. However, if he escaped this dream, the Infinite Tsukuyomi would likely cast another genjutsu to capture him into another version of his dream again. “How can I counter that?” he questioned. There was no knowing if he’d have enough ability to disturb his own chakra to break the control of the genjutsu. The Infinite Tsukuyomi was cast by a powerful shinobi and he knew that the castor’s control over his chakra outweighed his own. “Then,” he suspected, “without chakra within me, wouldn’t the castor lose his ability over me?” He took in a deep breath and blew it out slowly. “I need to concentrate,” he calmed himself. It was common knowledge amongst all shinobi how genjutsu worked. A shinobi’s flowing chakra throughout the body becomes manipulated through a genjutsu. If Neji could seal his inner chakra gates altogether for just a moment instead of creating a mere disturbance in the flow of his chakra, he believed he would be able to escape the Infinite Tsukuyomi.

The only problem was that he has never attempted to meddle with his inner chakra gates like Lee. Lee has always opened and closed them and called it training. Neji watched as the morning sun begin to rise. If he wanted to save his friends as soon as possible, he would have to exit his dream first and then tackle the inner chakra gates. The more he waited, the more his eyes begin to waver. “If I kill those I care about in this world, and make it to the next stage, will I be able to close the chakra gates?” That was his only doubt. Neji did not wish to stay in limbo with the nightmare. “What if I just redirect the flow of chakra in my own body?” he conjured another possibility. Doing so is comparable to focusing chakra to the soles of one’s feet. However, he recalled that he does not have control of his own chakra. And then the answer hit him. His own specialty, the kekkei genkai, was created especially for that reason. If he struck himself with the gentle fist, he would be able to break the flow of chakra within his body, disturbing the chakra greatly to free himself from the Infinite Tsukuyomi. However, another possible problem arose. At this point, Neji was sure that his theory would work, but he needed to mentally test his hypothesis before acting it out. If he failed along the way, he was afraid that he will lose his memory of his plans. “And if after escaping the dream, I can’t move to strike myself then,” he contemplated, “then what should I do?” His mind was spinning around in circles as the sun grew higher up the sky. He was treated to the same serene scene when he woke up into the dream world.

He thought about the early morning snack his father left by his door, his eyes began to dull. Neji wondered what type of snack it was. He crawled to the door and slid it open. In front of him were his favorite snacks as a child. They looked exactly like the ones made for him in his childhood before his father died. Since then, he had substituted them with store-bought ones. Neji leaned on the doorsill, one of his knees pulled close to his chest as his hands wrapped themselves around his shin. His eyes looked down at the welcoming snack fondly and his heart skipped a beat. He really wished he could stay in this dream if only it were to be real. He heard another door open, and out came his father. Their eyes met briefly before his father closed his door and headed out of the compound. “Is there really no chance of blocking tenketsu without physically implanting another source of chakra from the outside?” He sighed, continuing to stare at the cold snack, his heart was feeling heavier than usual.

Neji stepped out to his courtyard, taking in the little details about this place. He could see little dents on the dirt ground, like prolonged training marks from standing in place. There were two sets of these prints. Neji admired them, walking around it carefully, as to not disturb it. “So I trained here, huh,” he commented. A meek smile perched on his lips and his heart was content at the thought of training with his father. Neji decided to fit himself into one of the sets of footprints, enjoying the little nuances throwing him off balance. Neji supposed the “Him” in this dream world did not practice hard enough. “Who would have thought that I’d slack in this world,” he noted. “No,” Neji snapped out of his mentality, “I can’t be swayed,” he immediately stepped out of the dented prints. “What was I thinking? The world is continuously pulling me.”

“You better not leave the compound,” he heard his father warn him. Neji looked up and saw his father walking toward him. “I leave to relay a message and you’re already moving about.” Hizashi looked at his son with compassion. “It’s been a while since we’ve sparred,” he began, “Will you initiate?”

The tender smile on his father’s face repeatedly swayed his mind. “No, stay focused,” he mentally noted. Neji shook his head no, “Maybe another time,” he replied. Without a single moment to pass by, his father simply nodded and walked toward the house. Neji wondered if only his curse mark was gone in this world. He activated his byakugan in secrecy, peeking on his father’s forehead. His eyes widen, finding his father without a curse mark. “Father,” he said aloud. His father turned to him, waiting for a response. Neji immediately closed his mouth. His body and mind were acting on their own. Neji was afraid he would completely lose himself to this world by force.

“What is it,” his father asked.

Neji gulped, thinking of the one thing he had been puzzled over, “Is there any way to, close my own tenketsu from within,” he bit his inner lower lip, wondering if his father had an answer.

His father’s eyes scrunched up, “I’ve taught you everything that I know,” he stated. Neji wondered what that was implying. “Now that’s a peculiar question, Neji,” his father commented. “Don’t ask such foolish questions again unless you want to extend your forfeiture of seeing Tenten.” There he went again, thinking about Tenten upon the mention of her name. Neji knew he was going to lose into the world if he let his guard down.

When his father finally entered the common room, Neji expelled his breath. Indeed, his father wouldn’t have known something he didn’t know. After all, this dream world was the amalgamation of his other dreams. What he doesn’t know doesn’t exist in his dreams. Nevertheless, Neji felt as if blocking his own tenketsu from within his body was the only way out. “I don’t need to fight the castor’s control over my chakra to succeed, I just need to fight myself to gain control of my tenketsu,” he put it simply.

The more he stayed in this dream world, the more cloudy his mind became. Neji has caught himself, more than when he first arrived, caving into the temptations of his perfect world. Without any knowledge of how to perform the dire task he put on himself, Neji concentrated on the tenketsu closest to his eyes. If he could close that one, he would have to close two tenketsu from his back to shut down the nervous system from sending signals to his brain that was causing all of his reactions with this dream world. “I just need to do them one by one,” he theorized, “blockage of chakra feeding to my eyes will inhibit visions of the Infinite Tsukuyomi. But I’ll need to block the last two as quickly as I can before the dream world draws me back.” Neji closed his eyes and stood still in his courtyard.

* * *

 

When the afternoon came, Neji opened his eyes. He kept a calm breath and looked toward his house. A smile crept to his lips and he headed straight for his room. “You mustn’t care about anything, for they are not real,” he stressed every step of the way. Neji opened his closet drawer and pulled out his clothes. His eyes glistened as he searched for the gift Tenten had given to him for his birthday. It was his first birthday gift, and with so much meaning attached to it, Neji was sure that the weapon would exist in this dream world. He lifted a string up and reached inside, feeling for the weapon. In a moment, his eyes lightened up as he felt the scabbard. With no time to waste, Neji pulled it out and unsheathed the sword perfectly sharpened by the skills of her hands.

Neji looked around his room, searching for beloved things to destroy. He discarded the scabbard and stepped on the snacks his father laid out for him by the door. Neji beelined for the common room, his heart beating erratically. Even in his dream, he had to kill his father. He slid the door open, seeing his father sitting on the ground, reading scrolls. In haste before his heart could falter, Neji walked toward his father. Their eyes meet and for a second, he hesitated. Neji took a deep breath and struck his father’s neck. In front of him laid his father’s head, several inches away from his body as a pool of blood spurted out. He stared at it, his eyes never blinking, “It’s not real,” he repeated in his mind. His father’s blood marked itself onto his clothes, a few droplets sullied on his face. His heart grew cold and indifferent to the sight of fresh blood. Neji walked out toward the gate of his compound and headed straight for the marketplace.

There were only so many things he cared about. Neji stood at the square bench that fondly held his memories of his friends. Without another second to waste, he plunged his right foot onto the wooden bench, breaking it in half. And just as he has done it, he sensed his friends nearby. He turned his head toward their direction, spotting them heading his way. Neji walked toward them and was confronted with Lee first. He could see the concern on both his friends’ faces with Tenten being slightly shielded behind Lee. Before Lee could say anything to him, Neji slashed his chest, causing Tenten to shriek in horror. “It’s not real,” he reminded himself, “it’s not real.” His friend collapsed onto the ground with no struggle. “And now,” Neji heaved, “for my last beloved,” he walked toward her, watching as she stumbled back, her eyes were filled with despair. She couldn’t even say a word to him. “The Tenten I know never cowers,” he told her. With the sword in his right hand, Neji closed the gap between them. He jabbed the sword into her stomach, watching her struggle to breathe. “Farewell,” he whispered to her. With one swift motion, he pulled the sword out. Seeing her tumble to the ground made it unbearable to look. The magnitude it took for him to wound his friends was larger than the gravity that bounded him to the Earth. “It’s not real,” he struck his heart to the same tune.

“Neji,” he heard her call his name. His eyes widen and he held his breath.

“It’s not real,” he desperately corrected himself from caving into her cries. “You’re not real,” he declared, dropping the sword she gave him onto the ground. He leaned over her, cruelly, snaking his bloodied hand to her throat. He applied pressure to her neck whilst looking down at her, his face emotionless and expressionless. Neji’s eyes stayed fixated on hers as she continued to stare right back at him. Her warm hands rose up from touching her wound and grasped his wrist. His heart began to tremble at her futile struggle. The memory would haunt him forever. As he stayed there, leaned over her lifeless body, Neji finally removed his callous hand from her throat. His body began to shake uncontrollably. He was frightened and too anxious. Neji looked up to the sky turning a deep red; he gave a chuckle.

A blinding white light was all that Neji saw right after seeing the reddening sky. “This is it!” Neji closed his first tenketsu, managing to stop the reformation of his visions from when he first awoke to the dream world. However, the genjutsu was remanifesting itself and he could already feel the warmth on his cheek as the supposed sun leaked its rays to his room in the dream world. Immediately, Neji closed the last two tenketsu, causing his body to feel as if he were floating in space. Surrounding him was the same bright whiteness that he saw. Within moments, his vision twisted black. Neji couldn’t open his eyes, as if something was binding them closed. He couldn’t feel a thing except know that he was laying on his back. Neji writhed out of the roots, he later learned, hearing his movements collide with his senses. Honing in on the sounds, he could also hear the movement of wind. The sound of unsettling large bodies of water clashed with his ears. “Byakugan!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clarification: the genjutsu Infinite Tsukuyomi works like a recurring dream that no one can escape. Since it is a genjutsu, the person inflicted in the genjutsu does not have control over the chakra around their eyes. Trying to get out of the genjutsu normally will not work because once the person creates a momentary disturbance in the flow of their chakra, chakra begins to flow normally back to their eyes. This allows the Infinite Tsukuyomi to occur.   
> What Neji did was that he forced his body to shut down specific tenketsu in his body to redirect/stop the flow of chakra from going to his eyes. If there is no chakra flowing around the eyes, the genjutsu cannot be inflicted.   
> And let's just say that the Infinite Tsukuyomi cannot work on the byakugan the second time.


	14. Chasing After Fate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji breaks out of the Infinite Tsukuyomi by sheer luck but cannot save the Allied Shinobi just yet. He meets Hamura who persuades him to kill Kaguya.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reminder that Hamura is beside Neji on the tree root.

Just as he broke free from the roots Neji saw the real world again. His eyes landed on the familiar destruction of the war and noticed that he was high up from the ground. He looked down, finding no shinobi alive on the surface of the ground. Instead, he saw cocoon-like bodies hanging by threads of roots from under the large root he currently was on. “What is this?” he asked himself. Neji finally tore the remaining roots from his body and stood up. The cocoon has deprived him of most of his chakra and forcing the remaining of them back into his eyes to activate the byakugan after closing the tenketsu was a feat he did not think he'd be able to overcome. The most important thing to do now was to keep his byakugan on in order to diffuse the genjutsu. The second thing to do would be to either find a way to stop the genjutsu or move all Allied Shinobi into safety. Neji believed that the best place to be safe from the Infinite Tsukuyomi was an underground system from the moonlight that casted it in the first place. He did not know to what extent the genjutsu would be effective, however, it was better than to have no plans at all. 

“You’ve finally broken the Tsukuyomi,” Neji heard a voice just a few steps from behind him. He turned his head to the side, his eyes stared directly at the entity. 

That thing he was no human; it was a spirit in the form of chakra. “Who are you,” Neji asked. The oddity of this entity before him baffled him. It merely shaped itself to look the image of a human, but Neji could see right through it.

Hamura looked at the child with disconcerting eyes. “You don’t need to worry about the Tsukuyomi in the void, child,” the spirit told him. He was impressed with the child’s actions in countering the effects of the genjutsu with his byakugan. 

“Void?” Neji replied. It was already odd enough that he was on top of the root, but to hear this entity tell him that he needn’t worry about the one thing he practically feared the most right now was absurd. “How can I trust you?” He watched as the entity’s feet trudge toward him in a human manner. “Was it you who put me atop here?” 

The spirit of Hamura nodded, “Yes,” he replied. “To answer your initial question, I am the son of the goddess who cast the genjutsu to the world, Hamura.” Neji’s eyes widen upon hearing the explanation. His brows furrowed and he turned around to fully face the entity. Hamura could sense the distrust from the child. “My twin brother and I, Hagoromo, sealed our mother to the moon. However, she has been brought back to reclaim what is her’s-” even though he tried to explain, Neji would not let his defense down. A spirit of some sort from the past was spelling out the history that led to the 4th shinobi war, and even though he understood word for word, Neji still couldn't let his guard down. “There is a reason why I’ve chosen you to be saved, you must trust me.” 

The moment Neji’s eyes landed on the spirit’s eyes, he raised a brow. They both bore the same pair of eyes. He remembered his father who told him of their eyes when he was a child. Then, Neji had just started to comprehend the things around him and had asked his father why their eyes were not like everyone else’s. His father had set down the book in his hand and came to sit down next to him by the sliding door. “Our eyes are passed down from our ancestors, they are special, and you have been blessed with the powers of our eyes the most,” the events that anteceded that was blurrily pushed out. Neji assumed that the spirit standing in front of him was his ancestor. With that, he deactivated the byakugan. However, the reason as to why he was chosen remained to be explained. 

Hamura saw that the child had eased on him. With no time to waste, he pointed to a direction far away that Neji couldn't see. “You, a descendant bearing my mother’s eyes, have been chosen to meet your destiny,” he began, “and with that, you shall bear the fate to seal my mother back to the moon. With my chakra, you'll be able to awaken-.” 

Words such as “destiny” and “fate” had once clouded much of Neji’s childhood. He never wanted to revert back to the same person he used to be. That mindset caused him to underestimate the people in his world. Remaining stagnant and refusing to change caused his will to live to deteriorate. But because of Naruto, Neji was able to view the world in a more positive light. His father had chosen to steer his life the way that he wanted, and he was able to find what peace he could in making that choice. His father had told him that he must live. And because of his father's death, it caused him to displace the hate against his clan members. Neji knew that the moment he awoke from death that fateful day that he had to change. He knew he had the choice to make that change, to stop viewing the “order” of his world as unchanging. Neji was born to change and defy the order that his clan members implemented onto their branch system. If he remained stagnant in power, if he refused to change to better himself, to get stronger, he would never be able to truly say that he’s lived. 

Those words that the spirit spoke of, it did not make a difference. Neji had the choice to choose his life and the way he lived, and so he believed he mustn’t go back on his words to let others dictate what the outcome of his life should be, not even his ancestor. “Shinobi like us are trying to live according to our will,” he told the spirit. Neji turned around and activated his byakugan. “I am not destined to seal the enemy back to the moon, I am a shinobi like everyone else.” He chose not to be special even though his ancestor named him to be the person to take down the castor of the Tsukuyomi. “No matter how envious I am of such a power to end the war, I am not going to accept this fate. I will do it my own way.” He turned away from the spirit, “I will not accept the powers you wish to bestow upon me.” There was no way he’d ever return to the old him. 

Hamura was in disbelief. There was no doubt that this was the correct child. He has never miscalculated his plans ever. The greater things the child was meant to do, the fate he must accomplish, he refused to do it. Hamura frowned as he watched the child walk to the nearest end of the root, he was unsure what the child was doing. Despite that confusion, Hamura was sure that he traced his lineage correctly. The child enduring the life essence of his father has been correctly chosen, he was definitely sure of it. From her undeniable characteristics to his own father, Hamura was sure she was the direct reincarnation that would be able to welcome the life essence without a disastrous catastrophe to threaten her life. He saw for himself that the child’s body received the life essence without a problem. Has he made a wrong guestimation? 

Even though Hamura had never met his father while lived, he could tell without a doubt, just from the memories his mother had kept, that his mother loved his father dearly. He took a hard look at the child in front of him once more, hypothesizing why the child would not take his chakra. “Could it be,” he muttered, “that both children lack the bond that is replicant of that of my parents? Did the child lie about having no inner feelings for her?” Hamura needed to think quick and keep the child within his eyes. 

Neji assessed the collateral, finding no underground pathway that would be large enough to hold all Allied shinobi that had been cast under the Infinite Tsukuyomi. “On the assumption that I detach them, their chakra won’t be harvested,” he summoned. That was small, what he chose to do: to save his people in his own way. He did not need to be lent powers from a higher being, be it his ancestor. “I shall begin with this root,” he implored. The task would be daunting with the little chakra he had left. However, he believed that with just minimal usage, his chakra formation would resupply. He breathed in a dry breath and took one step back, preparing himself for the quest he put on himself.

“Your woman,” Hamura interjected just before Neji made his leap. He watched as the child turned his eyes toward him full of malice.

_ “Your woman,” _ the words rang in his ears as he turned to glare at the spirit.  _ “Your woman,” _   his father in his dream said to him. Neji remembered it clear as day. That woman, that same woman that his father deemed to be his woman, “My woman,” his inner voice spoke. Tenten, her name lingered in his mind. Hearing those same words again from the spirit’s mouth had shaken Neji. He wondered if the spirit saw through to his dream. “What did you say,” he pressed forward, “those words, don’t tell me you know who she is.”

“I do,” Hamura insisted. “I watched over your dream the genjutsu cast in hopes that you’d be able to break through it.” His eyes focused on the child, “and I saw everything that you’ve done to break out of it.” 

Neji’s body froze, and his tongue ceased to move. He was afraid for a strange reason. He deemed that the task to slaughter his friends and father did not affect him on a personal level, but Neji knew that in a way, it did. Killing his friends hurt him more than it should even though it wasn’t real. That kind of memory was intimate to him, and to have someone like the spirit expose that intimacy was like reopening a wound. That woman, Tenten, he was truly affected by how specific of a person the spirit would conjure up out of nowhere. Tenten, his friend, what significance does she have that the spirit would easily call her to him just through those two words? It was because of that that made Neji so afraid. “If you saw through every part of my dream, then you must have known that I don’t regard her as my woman. She is an important friend to me.”

“That child,” Hamura began, “that child you called your friend, in her dream,” Neji’s heart anticipated his words. The dreams that the Infinite Tsukuyomi cast was one that an individual person most desired. Neji wondered prior if he existed in his friends’ perfect dream. “She accepted that dream world solely because she knew you were alive in that world,” Hamura continued. “She gave up on trying to leave the genjutsu because you were tangible in her dreams,” every word that directed to him, it made Neji’s heart become heavier. “Yet,” Hamura’s eyes strained on the child standing before him, “you coldly murdered her in yours in the end.” Neji’s eyes lowered to the ground surface of the root. He felt conflicted over many things he couldn’t identify. “In her dream, you are her man, yet you can’t let her be yours,” Hamura hammered the final nail into Neji’s layered heart. 

Hamura changed his tactics, trying to find the best way to have Neji face his destiny. And the final result was to disguise that fate under the ruse of saving the woman he was supposed to love, at least that was what he was trying to establish. “Even with her life in danger as we speak, I suppose your reluctance to meet your fate is stronger,” Hamura hoped that he drilled his point through to the Neji’s mind to make him change his mind. 

“I will save her!” Neji inclined. “She’s in an inescapable dream just like everyone else down there,” he proposed, “I can save her.” 

Hamura winced at the child’s resolve, “Among the thousands of shinobi?” He snickered, “Just like you, she has her own fate, and she chose to follow it in order to put an end to the castor. What makes you think your solution to ending the war will work?” Neji was taken aback once more, “You are against time, the chakra of all shinobi will return to the tree.” 

Neji began to doubt his plan to save the Allied shinobi. The spirit was correct in that his enemy was time itself. He was but a person trying to save the thousands against time. “It will work,” Neji insisted. “I will find her and save her,” he helplessly argued. 

Hamura turned his snicker into a chuckle at that remark, “You won’t be able to find her,” he replied, “I’ve sent her to meet her fate to stop the castor.” Neji sighed a faint breath. There was no way for him to know where Tenten was if she wasn’t cocooned like the others. “I told you before haven’t I, that you are a descendant of my mother, goddess of all shinobi. That child you regard as only a friend, she bears the blood of the man that gave the goddess two sons. If you fail to meet your destiny, you will never see an end to the Infinite Tsukuyomi, nor ever see your friends again.” 

  
Neji felt hopeless as he digested the spirit’s words over and over. It was as if every plan he came up was futile to go against his only option of saving the world. “Is there really no way but to accept my fate?” He wanted to save everyone, especially those he cared the most for. He stood there at a dead end and could only replay the few words that he and his friends shared before the war. They promised to meet again after the war was over and he wanted to make sure that it won’t be in the afterlife. It was clear what he had to do even though he did not want to accept it. Neji stepped toward the spirit into the void and deactivated his byakugan. “I guess I have no choice but to accept my fate-” he opened his eyes to face the spirit. A smile perched on Neji's lips, “And I am going to challenge it.” He took in a deep breath, “I will defeat the castor my own way.”

He was too persistent, and Hamura supposed that maybe this would be the last time that his mother gets freed from the moon. He saw first hand how many young shinobi such as this child was trying to defying their fate in this lifetime. He believed that if they build their own path, that path would soon become the destined path for them. Before the child changed his mind, Hamura opened the dimension from which he sent his father. And just as the child walked past him and into the dimension, he infused his chakra into the child even though they never agreed to do so. The child was destined to become someone who would hold the mantle to the new world after the war. He knew that the child would need his powers if he were to attempt to change his fate in his own way.

Just as Neji entered the dimension, the gate that opened to it closed. And without a hitch, he could feel pressure climb up his spine at an unprecedented rate. He screamed in agony as the spirit's chakra forcefully enter his body. The powers infused with Neji's chakra, igniting a furnace that lit up every part of his limbs with immense pain. Without his knowing, the powers had disturbed the inner chakra gates within his body, lighting up the witty chakra dwelling within his body with fuel. On its own, his eyes activated, and all that he could see was the world spinning in one direction. His vision zoomed uncontrollably for kilometers on end. Neji gasped for air as he tried to force his body to calm down by controlling what chakra of his own he had. Suddenly, he fell to the ground, propped only by his knees and forearms as he bent over, trying to hold the incomparable pain inside. Neji closed his eyes shut tightly. He groaned, waiting for the pain to subside. 

When the pain sat low and tolerable, Neji finally heaved in hyperventilation. He balled his fists as he looked up to see a vast horizon of a wide array of bright gleaming colors. The sun’s round tip touched the line of the horizon and a soothing wind blew through what seemed to be a prairie that he was standing in. Neji stood up and took in the beautiful scenery. No matter how enticing this place was, Tenten was sent here, and that meant that the castor must also be here. He looked all around him to find her. Still, she was nowhere to be found. In a haste, he took off in a direction, unsure if that was the correct route to take. "It has to be this way, it must be this way." 


	15. The Love that Kills: Kaguya and Tenji

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaguya is reunited with Tenji in one of her dimensions briefly before Neji arrives.

The evening sun stayed unmoving. It has been several hours since Tenji walked along this place. The scenery felt as if he was dropped into an image. There was no one but him across a wide prairie. The wind blew constantly; it reminded him of his home. Tenji waited for a long while. His son said that she was supposed to be here. Kaguya was supposed to be here. A spiral opened up in the sky. Tenji wondered if Kaguya was here. He’s missed her.

Kaguya entered through the portal. When she first felt an odd entity in one of her dimensions, she didn’t think of getting rid of it. The sensation was like an ant crawling upon her body. But now the irritation grew through to her skin. That sensation turned to pain and it was eating her body. Kaguya’s eyes landed upon the entity that intruded her dimension. This dimension was a special one to her. She hasn’t returned here since the day she released her lover from the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Kaguya’s eyes widen as she descended down to the person. “Tenji,” she whispered.

Tenji watched as she floated down to him. “You’ve changed,” his eyes stared at her forehead bearing a third eye. Was this still the person he loved?

Her eyes were still and frozen as ever. Kaguya wondered if the man standing before him was just an amalgamation of her deepest desires. He looked the same, just as when she cast the world under her genjutsu the first time. Even his clothes remained the same. “But,” she whispered, “it doesn’t make sense.” She, who malingered over him, finally allowed her feet to touch the ground once more. “You died,” she replied. Kaguya remembered his death clearly, she remembered taking his last breath.

With each step closer to her, Tenji finally saw for himself the monster that she had become. A third red eye sprouted dead center on her forehead, the humanity that she once had while she was with him was gone. He wanted to hug her, to comfort her, but he knew he shouldn’t. She did not deserve his compassion. “I’ve always remained in your heart, haven’t I?” he asked her tenderly.

Kaguya’s expressionless face soon found a tint of pink on her cheek. He was a man she was incapable of loving while he lived, but she longed for him after his death. “Always,” she told him. “Now that you’re here,” she began, “we will both see the peace for the world that we’ve imagined.”

Her love for him never left, but her sight for peace did. Tenji could tell just from the way she spoke to him. He remembered how much she wanted for the world to be at peace. And he knew that she knew his desire for it as well. When he lived, he could not achieve it. But for her, her ability to live for millennia on end, she hasn’t been able to make both their dreams come true. Their idea of peace had deviated, but she deviated first. “No,” he insisted, “I’ve already seen it with my eyes,” he responded. He watched her eyes filled with confusion. “The peace you craved so much for, that is not the kind of peace that we both wanted,” Tenji stated it out blatantly to her. What he saw was what he never wanted to happen. He supposed that was what he must come to accept for he cannot change it further. “The cataclysm that you caused just to get yourself here, it can’t be your doing right?” Tenji did not want to admit that it could possibly be her doing. “Tell me you haven’t lost your way,” he begged. “This is not the ‘you’ I know.”

Kaguya’s eyes strained. “Be with me, Tenji,” she asked of him, “I can make the destruction disappear. We’ll both have peace and you’ll be at my side until the end.”

Tenji walked closer to her, minimizing their distance. Despite her physical changes, she still was the person he loved. “Be at your side,” he repeated, “I’d love to.” He missed her dearly. He regretted making the choice to have her killed. Perhaps this was why they were here: to be together in a place where time was nonexistent. Tenji raised his hand to touch her face, but before he could even feel her skin, she jumped back.

Kaguya’s body was about to burst just from Tenji almost touching her. Her brows furrowed and her eyes narrowed. Was he trying to kill her again? “Tenji-” the agonizing pain that dwelled within her body grew immensely. Kaguya wondered if this was due to Tenji being here. She stepped back from him and stumbled. Kaguya glanced to him again, confused as to why his mere presence was destroying her.

“Kaguya!” Tenji ran toward her.

“Stay back!” she bellowed. Kaguya heaved and straightened herself up. It was already odd enough that Tenji appeared in the most intimate dimension of her’s. Her eyes glared at him. His mere presence was eating her slowly and she didn’t understand why. Just as she stood up tall, she felt a massive pain pierce from the bottom of her spine up to her heart. “Ugh!” Kaguya dropped to the ground and both her hands clasped her chest. It was as if her organs were constantly shrinking and expanding against her will. This pain, it was different from the ten-tails overpowering her body. _“Someone else is here!”_ she felt the presence. Kaguya activated her byakugan and realized that the entity was coming straight at her from behind.

Neji’s eyes caught a glimpse of a white-haired person falling to the ground. Her slump revealed a man. Neji bolted toward them. He didn’t know if they were friend or foe.

Tenji panicked and raced to Kaguya, “Kaguya!” his voice thundered in despair. He was afraid to lose her. Tenji kneeled down to support her.

The closer Tenji was to her, the more her body convulsed. Kaguya couldn’t die here. Tenji was hurting her but he didn’t even know it. Kaguya used her hair as a makeshift weapon and thrust Tenji back out into the air. She coughed a dry spell and kept her eyes on both intruders. Tenji flew back. Her hard thrust pushed out his essence of life from the child’s vessel body. Kaguya’s eyes widen and she immediately directed her attention to Tenji. Right before her eyes, his clothes began to disappear and melt away. “Tenji!” she called out to him. His image ceased to exist. Kaguya gasped as the vessel body was revealed to be a shinobi.

Neji’s eyes pulsated the moment Tenten’s lifeless body appeared mid-air. “Tenten!” he screamed. Neji jumped over the white-haired person as she looked onto him. He caught Tenten’s body and landed onto the ground. Neji pulled her close to his chest. She was unconscious but definitely was alive. He then turned his attention to the white-haired person and discovered that she too had the byakugan. The red eye on her forehead did not deter him.

Kaguya’s eyes widen at the sudden entity standing before her. _”Tenten?”_ the unconscious child’s name rang in her mind. “I’ve been fooled,” she stated. The life essence of her lover burst into a million pieces before raining down and disappearing into thin air. She stared at the shinobi standing before her. He bore the same eyes as her. However, his byakugan activated with a blue ring around the circumference of his pupils. “How interesting,” she commented. “A meager byakugan user.” Her name piqued Kaguya’s interest, “Tenten, you say.” She laughed at the sheer coincidence. Kaguya stood up whilst trying to deal with the pain throbbing within her body. “And you must be,” she asked the byakugan wielder. Her eyes stayed on the two children. She witnessed his tender care for the unconscious child before her eyes. Suddenly, it was as if her eyes had played a trick on her. She envisioned herself with Tenji, with him in her arms as if they were mimicking the two shinobi. The initial warmth of such a perception made her sway. “Hwuak!” Kaguya clenched her chest. A sharp pain gashed through to her heart.

Neji eyed the white-haired person’s anguish. “Hyuuga Neji,” he answered back. His eyes caught a glimpse of her hair shortening back to her. The ends were singed and glowing amber red.

Kaguya chuckled and swallowed the pain away. “Hyuuga?” her lips curved at the name, the shinobi was a part of a clan descendant from her. _“‘Neji’_ — _what a coincidence-”_ Kaguya’s eyes bulged as she confidently straightened her back, _“Or was it?”_ she asked herself. Their names, if both combined, would form her lover’s name. Kaguya wondered if she was merely speculating too deep. Her vision then projected another slight alternated version her and Tenji onto the two shinobi. Why was she experiencing this? Why was she seeing these two as herself and Tenji? Angered and confused, Kaguya drew her hair up and attacked them.

The hair shape-shifted and aimed for their bodies. Neji held onto Tenten tightly and tried to evade the attack. He wasn’t fast enough and the hair caught onto his foot. Neji looked down to his foot and instead found her attack useless. He landed on the ground, increasing the distance between him and the enemy. “This must be Kaguya,” he whispered. Neji turned his head to Tenten. He was afraid he must leave her for now to fight the person standing before them. Neji carefully set Tenten down onto the ground and stood back up to confront Kaguya.

Right before her eyes, Kaguya saw how futile her attack was. The ends of her hair melted and were reduced to ashes the moment it touched them. It couldn’t do enough harm to them. She was afraid to combat the shinobi in a close quarter. Kaguya recalled how easily destructive her body became when Tenji tried to help her when she stumbled to the ground. “Why can’t I hurt you?” she asked in a dull manner.

Neji entered his fighting stance and charged at her. He wished he didn’t have to fight her, this ancestor of his. This place was a dimension he didn’t have the power to get out of. If she died, perhaps that might be a way for him to exit with Tenten. Neji felt his eyes pulsate with immense pain. He groaned, sensing a seismic amount of chakra imbued in his body. His speed doubled to an extent he hadn’t experienced yet he still perceived Kaguya’s distance from him accurately.

Kaguya’s eyes widen. She immediately jumped straight up and levitated. The pain was brewing again with the shinobi inching to her so quickly. Persistently, Kaguya’s vision continued to deceive her. She saw clearly with her eyes as she tracked Neji’s impalpable movements toward her. Yet every step he took, all she saw was herself being reflected right back at her. Kaguya’s eyes narrowed and she quickly dodged Neji’s lunge at her with ease.

In mid-air, Neji’s eyes tracked Kaguya’s movement. He pointed both his palms in her direction, “Eight trigrams vacuum wall palm!” In an instant, he released a massive amount of chakra toward Kaguya.

Seeing that it was merely chakra, she tried to absorb it. Kaguya put her palms out and consumed the attack. She looked past the immense chakra wave and found the shinobi already appearing right before her eyes. Kaguya then smirked. There was no way she’d let him get close to her. She blasted the chakra attack right back at him to keep him far from her.

The pain that initially came with the pulsation was gone in both Neji’s eyes. He saw that Kaguya had repulsed his attack and sooner or later it would come to throw him and reduce their distance. Neji knew at that moment that it’ll only be sheer luck if he landed a gentle fist onto his opponent. There was no way to counter her attack. He took on the blow head on. Neji was thrusted onto the ground hard. He managed to his feet and stared at her from below.

“Gwak!” Kaguya faltered with immense pain from her abdomen. She collapsed onto the ground and could barely breathe. “How?” she struggled to her knees, “They’re nowhere near me-” An assumption reached her mind. Kaguya hurried to her feet as soon as the pain subsided. “Can I truly not harm them?” she whispered. _“The pain is becoming more and stronger, sooner or later I’m going to explode.”_ She focused her eyes onto the shinobi again, this time she saw it clearly. There was no doubt about it. Kaguya’s perception of fighting herself no longer came and went. This time, it stayed; this time, the vision of herself stayed upon the shinobi. “I am fighting with a double of myself— my reincarnation!”

Neji prepared himself for another tactic. It was time he put the mukōgan to use.

Kaguya’s evil laughter caught him off guard. “I see,” she said. “As for that child,” Neji’s eye focus directly went to Tenten as she mentioned her. “Someone has performed metempsychosis, putting my beloved’s stolen essence of life into her.” She knew she can’t let these two reincarnations live in any of her dimensions. Ever since Tenji entered the dimension, the time had stopped. If they continued to linger here, Kaguya feared their prolonged intrusion would prohibit her from gathering the necessary chakra to grow another chakra fruit. Her byakugan began to fade and her third eye began to shut. If she failed to remove them quickly, her body would burst and she’d lose control of the ten-tails in her own dimension and never be able to get out. Her mind was erratically degrading, and she swept down to kill them.

Neji did not know what powers his opponent had, nor what advantages the dimension could give her, but he knew that she was mentally unstable just by reading her disturbed face. It was as if she was fighting against herself. Kaguya beelined for Tenten, causing Neji to dart to his opponent’s target. He easily triggered the void of the mukōgan and slowed down the entity’s attack down to zero.

Kaguya’s palm protruded a hardened bone. She’s executed the All-Killing Ash Bone to disintegrate Tenji’s reincarnation. However, she couldn’t move at all. Kaguya’s eyes caught a glimpse of the shinobi materializing right before her eyes. She looked down to her protruding rod bone from her palm; it was inches away from penetrating the unconscious reincarnated vessel’s body. “It can’t be!”

The mukōgan has made it so that Neji would be able to perceive her attack point by point in the slowest possibility he could manage. Doing so gave him all the time that he needed in order to speed toward his opponent. However, he could only use the mukōgan for a short amount of time. The moment both his hands caught Kaguya’s wrists and pulled her back from Tenten, he heard her belt out an agonizing scream. Kaguya withdrew her kekkei mōra and Neji immediately released his grasp on her.

Kaguya’s wrist was set ablaze. The flame began to climb up her arm and she drew back from him. She now knew what her ultimate demise would be if she got too close to either of them. Neji was enraged when Kaguya turned her fight to Tenten. Suddenly, another pulsating pain engulfed both his eyes. “Ugh!” He clasped both his eyes and collapsed to his knees. Seeing her opponent’s vulnerability, she resumed the All-Killing Ash bones, sending out projectiles of her phalanges to strike them. Neji saw her attack coming from where she levitated. He entered the kaiten with his eyes in pain and deflected the projectiles from himself and from Tenten.

The defensive attack of the shinobi began to expand wider and larger. Kaguya’s brows furrowed and before she could move quickly enough, Neji’s kaiten exploded to a magnitude beyond her assumptions. The hit knocked Kaguya off balance. Her prairie was destroyed with a circle radius of that a massive crater. Neji has drilled a hole into the land of her most intimate dimension.

Kaguya’s chest heaved as she felt another strong pain coming. _“Whatever they do, it’s killing me. Their mere presence will kill me and I can’t even touch them.”_ She anticipated the outrageous pain but didn’t know to what magnitude it’d be. When it came, she couldn’t even breathe. It was as if multiple hands had squeezed her heart, her lungs, and her throat. Kaguya shot down to the ground and tumbled into the crater.

Neji finally stopped rotating and covered his left eye. His right eye stared at Kaguya struggling to get up. He may have hit her, but he knew it wasn’t his doing that was taking her down. Kaguya finally coughed after being asphyxiated for minutes. She gasped for air before glaring at her opponent. _“I can’t defeat them, I must cast them out!”_ Kaguya lifted herself up to levitate from the ground, “I’ll send you out of my hair!” These reincarnations of them, of her and her lover, were meant to be her downfall. But so long as she discarded them from her dimension, their harm would not affect her.

Just as he heard her belt out her cries, Neji began to sink into the portal his opponent opened below his feet. He realized that Tenten fell through already. He could simply jump back up and fight her but he did not want to. Neji wanted to challenge his fate and so he did. He grabbed onto Tenten’s flailing arm and pulled her into his embrace. The moment they were cast out of her dimension, Kaguya immensely felt pressure lift from her body. She almost died because of them but her troubles weren’t done yet. There were others dwelling in her dimensions. She took one last look of the prairie. The sun began to descend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick note: the Tenseigan requires powerful pulsations to the eyes.
> 
> I don't really know the extent of Kayuga's powers so please read with an open mind.  
> Thank you.
> 
> By the way, I don't really have a preference for Americanized names of techniques nor the original Japanese names so I'll be using both.
> 
> Clarification: Kaguya, after seeing that Tenten's body was used as a vessel for Tenji, begins to hallucinate. She believes that she is fighting herself because Her mind has transformed Neji's appearance to that of herself.


	16. Aftermath of the War

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji manages to land Tenten and himself safely back onto the Earth. He devises a plan to rescue the shinobi stuck on the tree.

Downward Neji went along with Tenten in his arms. Neji looked down, realizing they were falling out of the sky straight into the battlefield. Seeing the torn landscape brought back the clarity to his mind. If they were to fall from this height, both of them would die. Quickly, he performed the kaiten with her in his arms. The closer they got to the surface of the Earth, the more they spun, and the larger the diameter of his kaiten. Neji prepared for the impact, his eyes seeing the ground come closer to him. Finally, upon impact, the collision with the ground sent them hurtling toward the earth horizontally as the kaiten tore up the landscape even more. And when he felt as if they no longer were in danger, Neji stopped the rotation. His arms carefully loosened his grasp of her.

“Thank you for being alive,” Neji whispered to her. His hands tighten his grip on her and he entered the dense thicket of trees. Thanks to his kekkei genkai, the genjutsu didn’t affect him. So long as he kept it on at all times he’d be fine. Neji leaned her onto a tree stump and peered out to the massive root that hung the shinobi. No matter how concerned he was for her, she was safe here, shielded from the light of the Infinite Tsukuyomi. “I can’t find Naruto,” he muttered. “Could he be fighting with Kaguya?” Neji scanned to the sky and to the summit of the root to see if Kaguya followed him but he couldn’t find a single enemy within sight. “If that’s the case then, this is the right time to rescue everyone.” Neji took one last look at Tenten. He took her hand into his’ and held them dearly to his lips, “I will be back,” he hushed, “And when I return, hold out your hand to me, and I will gladly take it.”

The first step was to rescue as many of his clan members. It‘s common knowledge that the byakugan has the capability to see through genjutsu. If it were not for overusing his eyes prior to the Infinite Tsukuyomi, all of them including him would have been able to counter it. Having more mobile shinobi move around to help rescue thousands of Allied shinobi would be easier than to do it alone. As far as he knew, the byakugan was the only of the three great dojutsu actively used within the war.

Neji spotted Hiro, an older clan member of his’ and detached him from the root. He discharged his own chakra into the clan member’s forehead to disturb the genjutsu. Subsequently, he heard his clan member gasp for air. “Hiro-san, listen to me,” Neji spoke, “gather sufficient chakra to activate the byakugan and help me save everyone.” His eyes looked up, searching for other Hyuuga members, “Whenever you’re capable,” he assumed that there was no more explanation to give. Neji rose to his feet and spotted a member of his clan.

“Neji? How did you get out?” Hiro stuttered through the bindings.

He simply disregarded that question, “When you can manage, bring our Allied shinobi into the dense forests before you release the genjutsu.” With that, Neji hurried to the next mark. He’d repeated his actions for the second time and only then did he create ten capable shadow clones with enough chakra within each one to help him. For a jōunin, that was all that he could manage. Soon enough, Neji saw that Hiro had broken from his binding and had begun to aid in rescuing the Allied shinobi.

Several Allied Shinobi were released from the genjutsu in the dense forest, however, they could not leave the shrubs for fear of casting themselves in the Tsukuyomi again. Kiba, being one among them, decided that he would not sit down and wait for Neji to have all the fame. He tied a sash onto his eyes and relied on his nose to guide his way. He had to leave Akamaru behind. The Inuzuka clan soon joined to help the rescue. And when Kiba appeared before Neji, he was shocked. They exchanged a brief sentence or two and continued on their way. Before long, earth formation began to spread throughout the battlefield. Earth style users had transformed the ground into intricate tunnel-like pathways upon the rescued Division leaders command to make transportation a matter of those who wished to aid.  

One by one, Neji sensed his clones disappearing after using up all of their chakra. His’ were low as well and his eyes had been maintaining a rhythmic painful pulsation. As he returned to Tunnel Gate 47 to send two Allied Shinobi further to the dense forest, Gaara, the Regimental Commander of the Allied Shinobi Forces, greeted him. “Hyuuga, Neji.”

“Kazekage-sama,” Neji greeted back. He handed the two shinobi to a receiver shinobi waiting at the edge of the tunnel.

Gaara nodded, his eyes looked at the tattered Konoha shinobi before him, “Thrice, you’ve saved me from harm. If I am of any use to you, let me know.”

Neji acknowledged him with a simple nod, “I will, I am grateful that you are alive.” His response was cut short when a loud crackle broke out. Simultaneously, he and Gaara looked out to the giant tree root that sprouted. Neji no longer saw the pulsatile waves of the genjutsu in effect. It was then that he knew that someone, he suspected it would be Naruto, had defeated the castor. Neji shifted to Gaara, “The genjutsu is gone, We’ll need as many capable shinobi to act now!”

“Understood,” Gaara replied just as Neji sprinted off. Being the first to walk out of the tunnel, he alerted the others of the dissipation of the genjutsu with a large wave of sand. Promptly, Allied shinobi poured out of the dense forests to join. The cocooned shinobi began to fall from their roots and Gaara raised both his palms upwards, rushing his sand to those who had fallen and could not be reached by the Inuzuka nor the Hyuuga. However, his sand could only encompass so much of the devastation. Luckily, those that came from the dense forests were able to limit the collateral, catching their Allied shinobi within the nick of time.

Kakashi relayed in its finality that the war was over in the battlefield as Sakura immediately headed over to the Medical Division that was established shortly after medical shinobi were rescued from the Infinite Tsukuyomi in the dense forests. Their duties now were to assess the collateral damage before establishing route back to their respective villages.

With the burden lifted from his shoulders, Neji could finally breathe in as much as he wanted to. An Inuzuka clan member had told him that they’ve rescued Lee and had brought him to the Medical Division. With little chakra left, he trudged onward toward the place, his dojutsu slowly retracted as more shinobi took his place to save others. He wanted to see them, his friends again after three gruesome days of the war. Neji couldn’t even bear the thought of losing them in war. He continued on, legs almost giving up until he finally saw them with the chaos that ensued in the Medical Division. His friends had stayed behind, running errands, bringing gauze and medicine to tents that had been set up. Neji smiled at the liveliness of their nature. And then their eyes met despite the busy unfolding postwar. Tenten ran toward him with her gleaming eyes and a wide smile to welcome him. “Neji!” he heard her yell his name. “You finally arrived!” Her ecstatic arms flung around him and she pulled him close for an embrace.

“Neji?” he heard Lee’s surprised tone. Immediately, Lee had joined them, wrapping his arms around them both and pulling them all together for a long-awaited hug. “Thank goodness you’re alive!” Neji warmly smiled, keeping his promise to them at the start of the war.

“I’m exhausted,” he told them. Lee took most of Neji’s weight and he and Tenten both transferred him into a nearby tent, laying him down on a stretcher. It had been a long time since he’s rested since the nightmare occurred. Neji was tired of fighting, of being fed the notions of fate and destiny. He hoped that the choices he’s made were truly for himself now that he had gotten a hint of what he truly wanted. The haunting words that Hamura spoke of to him, especially about the uncategorized feelings he had for Tenten, Neji wondered if it was right to fully chase them.

When Neji came to, he was shined with the light of the sun. It was a hazy afternoon and the sun rays were weak as they filtered through his paper windows. He sat up as his eyes got used to the brightness before they roamed the quiet place around him. Neji realized that it was his room, untouched, and representative of his room in his dream. Somehow, he believed he was in the Tsukiyomi again instead of the Medical Division where he last remembered. “Could it be a dream again?” he asked himself. Neji peered down at his clothes, finding himself in a silk porcelain yukata. “Oh no,” he feared that it was true. His mind ran in circles as he stumbled to his feet, terror erupted from his stomach. Slowly, Neji slid the door open to peek out, looking for the training marks on the courtyard he had seen in his dream, but they weren’t there. He raised a brow, sliding the door fully to hit the frame. “Could it be another version of the dream? Am I making sense?” he pondered, sitting by the door dumbfounded. Neji’s eyes narrowed and ought to check the vacant room beside his own just to make sure it wasn’t another version of his dream. That room was his father’s room and he felt the need to solidify “reality” by making sure that it was still a vacant room. He just needed to confirm that his father wasn’t alive to cement his attachment to this world. Neji mounded the courage and opened the door, unsure of how to feel about both potential outcomes. He stared at the empty room and felt a rush of sadness come over him, “What was I thinking, this is what it should be,” Neji closed the door and breathed out a heavy sigh.  He turned around and caught two familiar faces staring right back at him. “Lee, Tenten,” he called to them. Neji almost didn’t recognize them with their all too casual clothes: her in a cheongsam he’s never seen her wear before and him in a jade changshan. “If she runs towards me just like ‘her’,” he thought to himself, “I must be in my dream again.” Neji cautiously walked over to the stone step where his geta was.

“Yo!” she greeted him ecstatically. “You’re up!”

She and Lee merely took strides toward him. Neji supposed this person wasn’t the person in his dream after all. “You look too frail to be my rival, Neji,” Lee grinned widely at him. “Did you just wake up?”

“What happened,” Neji asked them as he slipped into the geta and stepped off the stone step to meet them halfway in his courtyard. “Last I remember, I was in a tent,” he told her.

Tenten crossed her arms and snickered, “You fell asleep for a whole week!” He watched her enchanting smile as she blabbered on. Neji knew right then that he was home. “-and then Lee had so much trouble removing your uniform and putting on your yukata every other day, we even tried to bathe you!” Her laughed escaped and Lee soon joined in with an uneasy laugh.

“It was so difficult to take off the mesh shirt and Tenten decided to cut it off!” Lee shared to him. Neji’s eyes narrowed at their actions toward a mesh shirt, his mesh shirt. “Don’t worry we replaced it!” he then added.

“Regardless, the only thing that matters now is that you’re awake,” Tenten’s laughter died down to a charitable smile. “We’re all alive because of you, so thank you Neji.”

Neji was taken aback by her words. “Right,” was all he could muster to her compliment. He was never really complimented for things that he had done. And even in this instance where his contributions to the war were far outmatched from others and should be praised, he still couldn’t take it confidently. “Did Gai-sensei-”

Lee nodded in unison with Tenten. “Gai-sensei is in the ICU, he opened the eighth gate, but was saved because of Naruto,” Lee told him. “We can go see him today if you’re able,” he suggested.

“We should,” Neji replied to him.

That same evening, he returned home from visiting the hospital. Along with the setting sun came a gray tinted orange hue across the sky. Skies like these were quite rare in Konoha. Neji sat out on the engawa, allowing the slightly breezy wind sweep through his compound as he contemplated some things he had yet to decipher. The autumn season was finalizing its course. Neji leaned his head on the post, afraid for what the future held out for him. His uncle had removed the curse mark without gaining permission from the elders and he feared the repercussions to come with that. Neji glanced down at his opened palms laying on his thighs. The significant change in his powers ever since his chakra mingled with that of the spirit was what enabled him to jump into action right after escaping the Infinite Tsukuyomi. He feared to lose that surge in power along with the mukōgan he gained the moment the curse mark was lifted. The other thing that troubled him was what Hamura said during their unfateful meeting. Neji didn’t want to implicate anything the spirit said to heart, but it was so tempting to believe that those words were true.

He recalled firmly at the expense of his emotional health. Tenten must have seen him more than just a friend to succumb to the effects of the genjutsu. Neji blinked, clasping his hands together to collect his thoughts. If Tenten really gave in to the Tsukuyomi because of the alternate version of him in the dream, Neji could assume that, because it was her perfect dream, she must have feelings for him as he thought. However, she had never shown any hint of her desire for him, and he wasn’t sure if she’d welcome his discombobulated feelings for her as well. Neji stared blankly at the treetops far in the horizon and then crossed his arms lazily, he supposed he liked her, maybe more than he knew.

“Yo!” Tenten’s voice surprised him. Neji looked to her who already invited herself to his courtyard. She had returned to visit him again, this time with two bags bulging with groceries, drinks, and snacks.

Neji detached himself from the post and uncrossed his arms, “Tenten,” he was about to stand when she rushed to him.

“No need to stand!” She stopped at the engawa and handed him one of the bags. “I thought, since you’re up and moving about, I’d get you some fruits for today,” she told him. Tenten pulled out a nectarine from the bag she held and presented it to him. She smiled from cheek to cheek as her eyes seemed to do the same. Neji placed the bag onto the engawa beside him and looked at the fruit in her hand, “they’re in season!” She then placed the fruit back into the bag and handed it to him.

Neji accepted the second bag and set it to the side as well, “Thank you, Tenten.” He wondered if she was giving them to him only, “Lee and Gai-sensei should have some too,” he inquired. His eyes studied her demeanor as his aim was toward her compassion for him. “If you’re only doing this for me,” he thought, “I don’t think I’ll need to hide my feelings for you,” his words floated at the back of his mind.

She merely bobbled her head back and forth with a dainty smile perched upon her lips, “I gave Lee a handful. And when Gai-sensei wakes up, I’m going to stock his fridge,” she beamed. “You wanna help us when the time comes?” she asked him. He shrugged, indifferent to the idea. “Anyways, I just wanted to drop these off before going home.” Neji raised a brow, it was a mild surprise to him that she’d walk all the way toward the Hyuuga compound before backtracking to her home. “Lee was right when he said you are looking a bit frail, so eat up and let’s get back to getting stronger,” Tenten walked backward whilst keeping that same delicate smile, “I’ll get going now, bye!” She then turned around and he watched as she disappeared from his gate.

“Of course,” he replied to himself. Neji supposed he should carefully tread the kindling between them with her earnest care for him. He smiled meekly and then turned to the grocery bags beside him, “Thank you, Tenten.” Like flowers, he believed their relationship should bloom slowly. One day, when he could no longer wait for her to hold out her hands to him, when he becomes confident that they have a solid insurmountable amount of affection for one another, he would finally take her hand into his’ and never let go.


	17. Hiro and Neji

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji becomes the subject of a Hyuuga meeting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hyuuga politics chapter.

Hiashi personally came to Neji’s compound at the break of dawn the following morning. It was a blessing that he had resumed his initial schedule that used to consist of exercising and stretching early in the morning. His uncle came to his home unannounced for a slight chat. He’d praised Neji on his merits during the war as they sat on the engawa watching the sun rise against the slightly gray sky. Their brief chat turned into a rundown of events that occurred while Neji was unconscious. He learned that all shinobi had been barred from leaving the village or go on missions because the Hokage was in the midst of negotiating peace treaties. Neji was also informed that the Hokage had magnified the Hyuuga clan’s honor a tenfold after declaring the end of the war. And due to that prestigious recognition, the Hyuuga elderlies had officially recognized his kekkei genkai prowess. He had become a highly valuable asset to the Hyuuga and to Konoha solely because of the choices he’s made. Neji thanked his uncle for visiting him and for sharing words of praise. “Shinobi can leisure for a good year until the treaties come into effect, and with Kakashi-sama’s words of commendation for you, Neji, I believe we can finally confront them about your curse removal.”

Neji’s pupils swelled with dread and he gulped the hard lump down his throat. It was far too soon for him to face the elders. “Today?” he asked.

“Today,” Hiashi replied. They had been talking for over an hour and the tip of the sun had risen up past the horizon. Neji couldn’t flee from the meeting as much as he wanted to. Hiashi got to his feet, prompting him to stand up as well for courtesy. His uncle’s hands bound themselves behind his body as he continued to look at the sky. “The clouds aren’t so dark these days,” Hiashi pointed out to him.

Neji’s eyes widen at his uncle’s ambiguous sentence. Hearing those words resettled his dread and Neji blew a long silent breath out. It was then that he knew he shouldn’t fear to face the clan’s highly regarded elders. “It seems so,” Neji confided in his uncle’s confident shadow.

“Southeast hall, 8 am,” his uncle disclosed the time and place of the meeting to him before leaving his nephew’s compound. Neji bowed to his uncle shallowly before he was gone. He then shuddered, catching himself by supporting his weight on the post by extending his arm. He wanted to be strong and fearless, but the various types of punishments daunted him. Neji stumbled to his room; he must present himself with dignity.

The southeast hall wasn’t actually in the southeast at all. The name was coined solely because the original southeast hall was demolished during Pein’s attack on Konoha. Neji had been to this newly reconstructed hall once and it was only because his uncle personally invited him to attend to give tactical feedback regarding his take on inter-familial strategies. He recalled how modest the hall used to be back then, but it had been renovated and expanded to thrice its original size. Neji noticed too how the cushion he was kneeling on felt more soft but insulated. He counted the cushions and it surmounted to fifty-one compared to the nine cushions in his first clan meeting experience. It was fifteen minutes before 8 am, and he’d arrived early just because it was demanded by an unsaid rule all branch members must know.

Neji waited and waited, checking his kimono twice, fidgeting with the pale crossed collared coat he wore over, and pulling at the black headband he’d tied to his forehead to conceal his secret until head clan members began to pour in five minutes before 8 am. He straightened his posture and placed his closed palms onto his knees. Neji didn’t even have to activate his byakugan to know that all stern eyes were upon him. He panicked, fearing that all of them already knew about the removal of his curse mark. “Nii-san,” his cousin spoke to him. Neji glanced at her, noticing that Hanabi too came to the meeting. Hinata tried to direct him up solely with the quick movement of her eyes, but he ignored her. A clan meeting was not a place for him to converse with any head members unless he was instructed to do so. She didn’t say anything further and walked past him to her designated place at the head of the hall.

Everyone settled into their respective place with the absence of his uncle and then silence overcame the elongated room. The cushions were arranged in a boardroom style, each side contained two rows, and the row nearest to the center contained thirteen cushions while the back row contained twelve. He was a branch member and had only two choices on where someone like him should sit: the right side of the back row farthest from the head of the room where the heir sat, or the left. Neji chose to place himself on the right when he first entered the hall as he should be. When the clock hit 8 am on the dot, his uncle appeared at the opened door. Pressure ran high whilst the tension thinned. Moments like these were what Neji hated the most. His uncle walked behind him and seated himself at the front center. With that, the double doors slid closed and the meeting officially began.

A silent minute passed by and yet his uncle hadn’t said a word. No one was allowed to speak before the Hyuuga heir did, not even his own children. “Neji,” Hiashi announced his presence, “situate yourself at my side.” Neji’s frozen muscles began to thaw and he composed himself, shaking the horrendous dread from his feet as he stood up. He turned toward the front, seeing a Hyuuga head member already getting up to switch places with him. Neji gulped and sat down with Hinata by his side whilst Hanabi seated herself behind her older sister. Collectively, older head members shifted in their seats at the bold instruction. Hiashi then allowed for a momentary pause before proceeding with the discussion. “The highly anticipated delayed assemblage has arrived,” Hiashi commenced, “I’d like to hear your proposals for my nephew.”

The man sitting across from Neji had been glaring at him ever since he sat down. That man was more important than Hiashi; he was his father. Thoughts of the possible proposals went into Neji’s head. He wondered if he’d be punished with the curse mark again, or die for having it removed. His fists trembled on his knees as he anticipated the punishment. The elderly sitting across from him closed his eyes and Neji tensed up. “It is no secret that Neji had inherited the thickest bloodline though he was born to be a branch member. It is only righteous that we officially recognize his heritable trait,” the elderly endowed his praise aloud, “thusly, I will authorize the first branch member to possess the Hyuuga’s tablet insignia.” To outsiders, a tablet insignia wouldn’t seem to be much. But especially to Neji, it was a direct indication of his rise in status. The Hyuuga’s tablet insignia only exist within the strict confines of the head family. Those bestowed with the insignia defined the legacy of the Hyuuga clan. They were the epitome of the clan’s strongest: born within the line of aristocracy, nobility, gentry, and the precious blue blood that determined their prestige as head members of the Hyuuga clan. There was no doubt that the moment Neji accepted the proposal, he will have relinquished his life further into their control over whom he associated with.

Neji was in disbelief at the proposal. Indeed it was an audacious motion, but weren’t they all here to discuss the absence of his curse mark? “Do they not know?” he asked himself internally. “Has uncle not told them yet?”

“Neji,” Hiashi alerted him, “what is your opinion?”

His opinion? There was only a correct way to respond to his elder’s proposal. Neji slightly took in air, formulating his most refined reply, “Neiro-sama is too magnanimous for a lowly branch member,” he replied ceremoniously before following after with a deep bow. Neji placed his palms flat out onto the ground, hands angled to form a slight overlapping cross before leaning forward down, meeting his forehead to the back of his hands to complete the formal bow. The bow was his indication of accepting his elder’s grand proposal. This was a meeting to commemorate Neji’s merits, and he’d only recognized it after acquiring his elder’s promised words to acquire the tablet insignia. The dread he built up drastically dissipated as he set his fists onto his knees once more.

As Neji reclined back to his straight posture, Hiashi pressed his lips thin to hide his content for his nephew. The child who he’d only recently started to treat as his own son had begun to pry into the watchful eyes of the elders that maintained his fate. Words discussed in such a major setting would never be taken back. Hiashi hoped to use this establishment in the clan’s ground rules to steer the discussion in his favor. He planned to announce the curse mark in accordance with this perceived nonrepudiation of previously established words. “I suppose Neji has proved himself to be a viable candidate for the Hyuuga’s tactical council,” Lord Takashi proclaimed.

Hiashi raised a questionable brow at his cousin’s proposal, “The Hyuuga’s tactical council?” he confirmed.

“Yes Hiashi-sama,” Takashi answered, “Neji has upheld and strengthened the Hyuuga’s clan’s honorable integrity for a generation to come.” Neji looked to the man sitting on his side of the room, he was obstructed. “It is only right to offer a position to match Hokage-sama’s distinctive commendation for a prodigy in his own right.”

Hiashi cleared his throat and Neji took it as his cue to reply. But before he could say further, Hiro announced his motion to speak, “I propose to challenge for the position.” Hiashi glanced at the young man situated further down the seats. Neji too turned his head toward the young man. Hiro was just three years older than him at the ripe age of twenty, son of a head member whose skills matched that of Neji. He was a man of talent, only rivaled by Neji because of a slightly lower inheritance of the Hyuuga’s kekkei genkai. Hiro knew that the curse mark ultimately sealed a large portion of the byakugan’s abilities. Thusly, he wanted to challenge him for the decree to be a permanent member of the Hyuuga’s council. “The tactical council has only been held by head members ever since it was conjured when Konoha announced itself as a village of its own,” Hiro tried to support his explanation, “Neji is a Hyuuga of prominence, but he is bound to serve the head families, not to dictate and lead them.”

Hiro had his own fame within the Hyuuga clan: he used to possess the strongest kekkei genkai until he was rivaled by that of Hizashi’s only son. It was only correct for him to be offered the position for he belonged to the head family. Takashi’s eyes narrowed at Hiro’s bold request to challenge but Hiashi quickly intervened. “Hiro’s claims are within the bounds of legitimacy to challenge,” he declared. He glanced at his nephew and drew in a breath, “Do you accept, Neji.”

Neji has never felt the animosity between Hiro and him until now. Evidently, he’s never considered himself a rival to someone whose fame ran throughout the clan like Hiro. He didn’t crave for that recognition nor craved to prove himself to his clan ever since he received his father’s last letter to him when he was young. “I made the choice to become a shinobi, and I plan to continue that line of work, Hiro-san.” Neji then gave a short bow, declining the challenge for the position. “Takashi-sama,” he adhered, “though your proposal is gloriously bountiful, I am inclined to decline with grace,” he followed after with the same deep bow. Takashi shifted in his seat and cleared his throat at the objection. Hiro stared at Neji with discontent.

The hall went silent for a full minute and Hiashi assumed that the proposals for his nephew were over with, “Is that all?” he confirmed. He waited a bit more and then gave a nod to end the matter, “Neji, the Hyuuga’s tablet insignia is a sacred totem. Now it will be in your hands,” he told his nephew, “from this point on, you have become a branch member with a status unreached and undefined by any predecessors.”

“Your virtue is magnanimous, Hiashi-sama,” Neji bowed deeply to his uncle. Hiashi hadn’t felt prouder than before in his life. He wondered if his brother could finally rest in peace now that his son had created a path for himself.

Neiro keenly watched as his grandson rose back up from his bow. It was a shame that he could not address Neji as his only grandson. “You’ve become a valuable member acknowledged by the clan, it is only befitting that in order to secure the strong inherited kekkei genkai you possess, you find a suitor to bear a child to carry on the Hyuuga bloodline,” Neiro proposed with haste. Hiro scoffed while members of the head family displayed their dismay with the urgent call to marriage. The topic of marriage was always tightly monitored within any clan because of the fear that their kekkei genkai would not be inherited by their children. Prominent clans such as the Hyuuga, Uchiha, and the Nara strictly discourage outer marriages for that fear. To encourage marriages within the Hyuuga, the clan had proposed entitlements and guidelines to both the head and branch families. All head family members were to marry within the confines of the clan to secure their dojutsu. For branch members, it was more complicated.

It was no secret that the head and branch families brewed animosity between one another and one of the major issues was about marriage. The biggest flaw to marriage revolved around the curse mark itself. The clan established head on that Hyuuga women, whether they were from the head or branch family, were voided from having the curse mark because they were regarded as a holy body that brought about life. Their lives were precious to producing children to maintain the Hyuuga’s kekkei genkai. Unlike the Uchiha’s dojutsu which could be obtained and activated throughout any stage of a child’s life, a Hyuuga child born from their Hyuuga parents bore the dojutsu eyes from birth.

The development of the white eyes within the womb required substantial chakra taken from the mother’s own supply, weakening her own dojutsu in the process. It was a reason as to why so few Hyuuga wives lived to give a second or a third birth. Of course, Hiashi was blessed enough to receive his second child, Hanabi, before his wife died from chakra depletion during birth. However, there was a distinct difference between the head and branch women when they marry within the clan. If a head family woman survived the childbirth, she’d be free to have the choice to give birth again. It cannot be the same for a Hyuuga branch woman if she married within the clan. The moment she bore a child and survived the childbirth, she would be branded with the curse mark. Even with her weakened dojutsu due to bearing a child, because of unfortunate events, she must be sealed no matter what cause. As for non-Hyuuga women who married into the branch family and happened to bear a son with the Hyuuga dojutsu, that child would be branded with the curse mark.

Why must Hyuuga women married within the branch family bear the curse mark after surviving their first childbirth? A past event established that particular guideline.

It's commonly said that a mother’s love for her child goes beyond everything else. Generations ago, Hana, a branch member herself, bore a son to her husband of the same status. It was inevitable that their son would be inflicted with the curse mark despite his prowess in using the byakugan. Displeased, she and her husband attempted to negotiate their son’s livelihood with the heir and the elders but their request was denied. Hana boiled in anger; she watched as her husband’s curse mark activated, torturing him to the point of no return. She burst into a killing rage, activating her byakugan, and striking one of the unsuspecting elder straight to the heart before aiming for the heir. She struck the heir’s chest before his counterattack of the gentle fist sent her tumbling across the meager room. The elder died of the fatal strike Hana inflicted on him the moment he fell to the ground. For her crime, she was branded with the curse mark and spared of death in order to raise her son. The curse mark sealed a massive portion of chakra, disabling any branch women from having enough chakra to give birth to a second child. It was a reason as to why Hyuuga women were more reluctant to marry in the branch family because they’d cage themselves if they bore a child. It was also a leading cause of the clan’s decreasing direct-lined clan members because Hyuuga women were seeking marriage outside of their own clan. To be able to marry into the famous Hyuuga clan would be a major achievement for any non-Hyuuga women to boast about since Hyuuga men, whether in the branch or head family, were considered bachelors in their own right.

Hiashi eyed Hiro, “You’ve something to say, say it.” The prospect of marriage was not something to brush off easily. All eyes went directly to him including Neji’s as well.

Hiro gave Hiashi a short bow for his misdemeanor and glared at his rival. Neji still couldn’t understand Hiro’s hostility toward him. They were of different statuses since birth and just because he had received the Hyuuga’s tablet insignia did not mean he intended to swipe Hiro’s nobility from the man’s own hands. Hiro’s aggression toward him didn’t faze him one bit. Neji actually found it to be quite rude to be displaying jealousy in front of all prominent head family members. “Neji is of a branch member, his lineage bears no concern to head members nor does it contribute to the Hyuuga clan’s sustenance,” Hiro spoke with a sly smile. “Such a trivial matter to discuss-” belittled the discussion regarding Neji, “when his progeny will all bear the mark.”

“Neji has gained favor from Hokage-sama and carries with him the name of Konoha’s noblest heroes,” Takashi stated, “how disrespectful of you to give your opinion before the heir.”

Takashi glared at Hiro as Hiashi merely raised a brow. This was a matter closely tied to Neji and Hiashi’s secret, he dared not bring it up just yet. “Enough with the bickering,” Hiashi announced, closing his eyes in dismay.

“I apologize for my brashness,” Hiro half-heartedly sought an apology from the heir and Neiro.

Neji brushed that false apology away. He waited to hear the next order of business. With such a large audience, this meeting couldn’t be just about him. Hiashi sighed and opened his eyes for the next discussion, “I want to absolve and finalize the position of the heiress.” Neji’s ears perked at the sudden mention. He believed that doing so after the war was the correct step in transitioning the Hyuuga clan.

The underlying problem since the day Hanabi was born was that she needed to prove her worth over her sister. At that time, Hinata was unable to take on the duties and present herself as strongly as his father had wanted. It was not that women could not bear the burden that came with becoming the heir. In fact, there had been many generations held adequately, maybe even more ruthlessly by heiresses within the Hyuuga clan’s history but Hinata was just incapable of living up to the strict responsibilities as an heiress. When Hanabi was old enough to challenge her sister, she’d proved her astounding potential against her sister. For a moment, Neji thought that everything was finalized and that Hanabi would become the true heiress of the clan.

It was then that after the Chuunin exams, after his uncle apologized to him and revered him to be as close as his own son did he allow Hinata to become his training partner. Neji’s pushed past the acrimony he had misplaced to her as a young boy and helped her hone her skills. She was, in a way, like him: wanting to become a stronger shinobi. With her improvement came indecisiveness from her father. She was surpassing Hanabi and Hanabi was catching up to her sister at each step. Neji lowered his eyelids and his pupils directly strayed to the left, catching a glimpse of his cousin’s white knuckles. “Hinata had shown her worth to become a capable shinobi and a proficient heiress, yet cannot pursue both,” Hiashi proclaimed to his beloved daughter. “Tell me, will you trade your shinobi life to become the heiress?”

Hinata was the prospective heiress that should have solidified her role a long time ago. But with her becoming a shinobi, even Neji wasn’t sure what she’d choose. For a while now she had said she wanted to choose her own life, but her love for her father had kept her teetering like a seesaw. Neji finally tilted his head to her, watching her struggle to speak. He couldn’t do anything to help her. Hinata unclenched her fists slightly, relieving the whiteness back to a pale pink before she spoke, “Your daughter is grateful to accept the title, but she no longer qualifies as a contender since the day she became a shinobi,” she replied to him. It was Neji’s first time hearing a woman speak in a meeting and he didn’t think it was actually true that women must speak in the third person. Hiashi scrunched his brows at his daughter’s reply. “Hanabi has successfully mastered ninjutsu techniques far surpassing her older sister,” she carefully conjured, “it is only righteous that she claims the role of the heiress.”

“Hinata is correct,” Takashi assisted the woman. “She’s made the choice to be a shinobi.”

Hiashi acknowledged Takashi’s guidance with a simple nod, “Then,” he breathed in, “I shall announce the last order.” Neji’s eyes shot up and his spine stiffened. He knew what the subject matter entailed and his breath shuddered. Neji now took on white knuckles as the dread that dissipated earlier came rushing back in. “I have taken it upon myself to remove Neji’s curse mark,” Hiashi revealed to his clan members. Shock was heard throughout the hall and all heads snapped toward Neji, even Hinata. “Take it off, Neji,” he demanded. Neji’s shaken hands slowly rose up to the nape of his neck and untied the headband that hid his secret. The moment the headband sash fell from his forehead, everyone gasped, outraged at the immoral act. Neji’s eyes remained low, focusing only on the seams of the cushion across from him.

Neiro was insulted by his son’s undesirable action, “Are you ludicrous Hiashi!” his voice thundered from the cacophony of the onlookers. “If word gets out that the curse mark is retractable— do you not fear a revolt?!”

“Neiro-sama, calm down,” the member sitting beside him tried to allay the elder.

“Why must I fear a revolt, the world is vying for peace, and removal of the curse mark should have been done long ago,” Hiashi boldly stated. “Neji is deserving of having his curse mark removed-”

Takashi leaned into the center to meet eyes with Hiashi, “When did you do this?” The hushed discord emanated throughout the hall and everyone began to speak to one another, failing to keep their composure.

Hiashi loudly cleared his throat to silence the noise and bring back control, “Just before deployment in the war,” he merely stated.

“We will not stand your deceitful actions to do what you did, and to fool us until now,” Neiro cut in, “implementing the curse mark has never stopped any branch members from using their gifts. It is harmless and has been used for generations for a reason, Hiashi.”

The heir’s eyes narrowed, “Have you ever seen the mukōgan in person?” Hiashi asked his father. The rest soon mumbled about until their eyes landed on Neji precisely. Hiashi insinuated that his nephew had the advanced byakugan dojutsu and he wanted to use it to sway all of them. “The curse mark does not stop a Hyuuga branch member from using the dojutsu, but it greatly limited one’s use of it,” he countered his father’s own words. “Neji’s inheritance of the kekkei genkai is greater than any predecessors that helmed this throne, he fully acquired a 360° field of vision as a child and the curse mark gave him the same blind spot you and I have.”

“You’re speaking nonsense!” Neiro projected, losing his balance over himself before a clan member helped him back to his seat. Hiro assessed the bizarre situation quietly as his elder made a fool of himself. “Nevermind the full circle field of vision,” Neiro heaved, “are you telling me that that boy has the mukōgan?” The contents of the mukōgan were forbidden for branch members to get their hands on. It was the definitive reason why Neji did not know what it was when he heard the name. “The mukōgan was once obtained by sheer luck and dedication to their craft,” Neiro protested against Hiashi’s words.

Hiashi glanced at Neji as Takashi rehearsed a brief history of the subset dojutsu, “The training that was taken in order to achieve the mukōgan has been practiced for several generations, yet, no heirs or heiresses were able to achieve it.” Takashi looked to Hiashi, “is it true that Neji wields it?”

Hiro leaned in toward the center, curious as to whether the assumption that Neji had the mukōgan was a fluke or not. “Hiashi-sama, you’re telling me that you’ve seen it?” He did not want to believe that Neji had it, and Hiashi was only implying that he had it but no other head members had seen for themselves. Hiro wanted a demonstration; he wanted to see those eyes.

“The mukōgan is a rare set of eyes that only exist within the main branch,” Neiro clarified. He regained his composure momentarily to push aside the absurdity that his son was claiming. Neiro had never seen the mukōgan in person and his own son was signifying that his only grandson was potentially wielding it. Acquiring the mukōgan allowed the user to cast a genjutsu no other dojutsu, not even the Uchiha’s subsets of dojutsu could deflect. The only person who gained the mukōgan used it within his abilities to influence a portion of enemies during the first shinobi war. No descendants ever obtained the eyes since then until now supposedly, and the mere fact that Hiashi brought up a long lost treasure so nonchalantly, made Neiro livid. The mukōgan was an issue not to be taken lightly of and everyone within the confines of the southeast hall knew it. “If Neji does have it,” Neiro proposed an agreement, “I will put aside your delinquency in removing the curse mark and extend the head family lineage to him!”

Hiashi raised a brow at the inquiry. He supposed leaning on the preconceived notion that all words spoken within the hall were to remain authentic brought about a serious turn of events, events that went beyond his favors. “Neiro-sama, you musn’t be so impulsive!” Hiro hollered as the whole hall fell into chaos. It was loud and Neji only took in the elder’s words into perspective. Here was his chance to break a hole into the Hyuuga’s branch system and he believed he should take it. From the corner of his eyes, he could tell how astonished his cousin was. “Extending the head family lineage to a branch member is against ancestral guidelines! He is not a head family member and does not deserve to have the prosperity of one!” Hiro cautioned the rowdy crowd. “Doing so will break the branch system, Neiro-sama!”

His cries fell on deaf ears. No matter how hard Hiro tried to convince his elder, those words had already spoken into existence. No one can take those words back, not even the one who spoke of them. The only string of hope that Hiro held onto was the reveal that Neji did not have the mukōgan. His heart pounded faster than others and he watched in anguish as his attempted exhort to sway his elder failed. “Show to me, the mukōgan,” Neiro belted out. His thunderous voice overpowered everyone else’s and a peak silence hovered above all 51 of them in the hall. Neji felt the intensive stare especially from his elder who sat across from him, but he couldn’t do a thing until his uncle directed him to. He turned his head to his uncle and his uncle nodded. Neji’s breath halted and he gave Hiashi a short bow before turning back to his elder. He closed his eyes, letting the accumulated sweat from his palms soak into his kimono before putting his hands together to summon an appropriate amount of chakra. In an instant, he activated his dojutsu and lowered his hands back to his knees. Neji peered at his elder, and then slowly ticked his head toward the rest of the members. Indeed, his pupils had the bluish ring around it just from the expression from everyone else’s face. “Unbelievable,” Neiro was deeply astounded. Neji closed his eyes, deactivating the dojutsu before confronting his elder. That was the conclusion that sealed Neiro’s proposal to Neji’s mukōgan.

From this point on, Neji believed that with one foot into the door already, he should take this opportunity as a newfound member of the head family to demolish the segregation that was destroying the clan. “I will not accept this!” Hiro abruptly stood up and stomped toward the front. Hiashi eyed his every move as the man stopped and confronted his nephew. “You are unworthy of such praises, of such eyes,” he seethed. Neji merely lowered his eyelids, disregarding the man’s ridiculing words.

“Enough Hiro,” Hiashi commanded, however, he would not step down.

“I will not be overshadowed by a mere branch member!” Hiro yelled down, scowling at Neji.

Neji’s hands shifted from his knees to his hips and he tilted his head up to meet Hiro’s menacing eyes. Forget about becoming stronger, he wanted to do more for others than just himself and Hiro had become the obstacle in his way. Neji could not let this one chance to change his clan pass by. “Then ask to challenge me,” he stated it out blatantly.

Hiro snickered as his rival glared right back at him. Their time had come and he couldn’t wait for the battle to begin. “Hiashi-sama, grant me permission to duel-” Hiro snapped his head to the heir sitting with an ear to their conversation, “for his eyes!”

“Preposterous!” Takashi erupted from the silence. “You dare defy Neiro-sama’s words?!”

Hiashi winced at the loudness the meeting had taken in. He then glanced toward his nephew’s direction. Hiashi had never seen such a distinguishable determinant look in Neji’s eyes before. Hiro was a son born within ancestral rites and had access to Hyuuga secret styles of combat that his nephew had never been exposed to. But his nephew purposefully asked for the challenge, and because he wanted to test his nephew’s resolve, he granted them the duel that should have taken place earlier. “I will allow for sparse combat,” he announced to the standing man, “however, I prohibit use of the byakugan.”

Neji lowered his eyelids and propped himself up to stand. Hiro stepped back into the middle of the center space that divided each side. The area in which they were to fight in was narrow and limited for big motions such as round kicks or wide punches. Neji straightened his kimono and stepped into the center divide, his back faced his uncle as the surrounding clan elders stretched their posture high. “Hiro-san,” the man already formed his fighting stance, “Forgive me for being impolite.”

“No need,” Hiro rumbled with menace in each word, “I’ve been waiting for an opportunity like this.”

Even without the use of the byakugan to read Hiro’s eyes, Neji could tell he was intending to strike to kill. Neji adopted the Hyuuga’s signature stance with Hiro five feet from him. He never cared enough to study what skills Hiro had honed in the case of basic hand-to-hand combat. Neji doubted that Hiro would be better than the taijutsu apprentice in his team, his friend and comrade, Lee. He was grateful to have had taijutsu training more than he could count with Lee. Surely, Neji hoped that their training wouldn’t all be for naught. It had been a gruesome amount of time since he’s used taijutsu.

Their fight danced on a tightrope, feet shuffling within the space approximately just short of a yard wide. Hiro struck first with confidence in his eyes: his palm faced out, aiming directly for Neji’s head. The older man stood taller than his opponent by four inches. His experience far outmatched that of the shinobi in terms of the Hyuuga’s fighting style. However, Neji wasn’t fazed by it. He blocked the simple attack, countering Hiro’s strike by batting his arm away. Hiro swung his other arm, mimicking a cutting motion straight for Neji’s side, but he wasn’t fast enough. Neji hadn’t moved from his feet at all; Hiro was doing all the work. Their knees bent slightly to accommodate their balance and Hiro stepped back and regained his fighting stance.

Even without the byakugan's activation, Lee’s swift attacks still never touched him; their team’s specialty was known simply as agility. It was Neji’s turn to strike. Speed wasn’t Hiro’s specialty, but it was his’. He glanced down to Hiro’s feet: they were firmly planted but unusually light. Neji flew to Hiro’s vicinity with two steps, catching him off guard. Hiro’s eyes widen reacting to the younger man’s swiftness. Neji stretched his palm straight to his opponent’s heart with a sharp tip. Hiro dodged it, throwing his shoulder back, rotating the ball of his heel to maneuver quickly. Neji missed the precise attack and Hiro’s guarding arm thrust toward the latter’s guarding arm. He drove Neji’s arm downward diagonally. Both Neji’s arms rebound and both Hiro’s shoulders straightened. Neji recoiled his guarding arm back out and rounded his arm motion back up. He took one more step, his elbow sharp and centered, and jabbed through Hiro’s slow recovery defense, knocking the older man back several steps. He didn’t move; Neji had gained ground.

Hiro stumbled back, unable to breathe in air. The draft in the hall hovered intensively. Hiro maintained his fighting stance once more. His eyes strained, narrowing at his opponent. Neji moved too fast for him to keep up. It was Hiro’s turn to be on the offense. He eyed Neji’s feet: airy, almost detached from the ground. If he couldn’t keep up with Neji’s speed, he’ll just have to anticipate his opponent’s next movements. Hiro tilted his guarding arm slightly and drove himself with heavy steps toward Neji. Before he struck, Hiro spun his heel, reeling his attack to swing. Instead of parrying, Neji stepped back. With each step backward, a strike came forward. Hiro had a plethora of fighting style advantages compared to Neji. Even though his strikes weren’t fast, he continuously switched and variated multiple styles of taijutsu that Neji had never trained with. Neji firmed his stance on the ground, he ran out of tightrope on his end. Hiro continued his barrage of mixed taijutsu. Neji was cornered. Hiro landed two fists, one superseding the other. Neji lost his balance and fell to the ground at Hiashi’s knees. Hiro backtracked to his original place at the start of the spar. He immediately smirked and released his fighting stance, standing confidently before straightening his kimono.

Neji huffed a lump of air out and got up, kneeling on one knee. He assessed Hiro’s cocky look. Neji was thrown off by the unusual and incoherent styles Hiro displayed. Hiro’s two consecutive hits knocked Neji’s internal harmony off balance. It was now his turn to exchange blows. “You haven’t seen these moves, Neji-kun,” Hiro’s eyes narrowed upon seeing Neji turn his head to look at his uncle. “The Hyuuga’s head family has multiple taijutsu that will never be shared to branch members.” Hiashi met eyes with his nephew. Ashamed, he closed his eyes. Neji turned back to face his opponent, realizing how much his uncle handicapped him by preventing him from learning these secret fighting styles of taijutsu. “You’re too bold to think you’d win,” Hiro stared onward as Neji stood to his feet. “You’re lineage will never surpass mine.” Neji didn’t need to respond back; he hated talking in the middle of a fight. Neji brushed the creases and wrinkles from his sleeves.

The fight wasn’t over. Neji cautiously moved into his fighting stance. Suppose what Hiro said was true, it didn’t account the fact that Neji was, in his own right, a master of the gentle fist. The fact that he did not know any other Hyuuga fighting styles did not matter. Neji confidently sped toward Hiro in a flash. He saw first hand how sophisticated every move Hiro threw at him came at an expense. His opponent flashed his attacks at him to throw off his guard, but it revealed Hiro’s lackluster ability to create enough punch in each strike to defeat him. Neji saw how, with each new move, came Hiro’s imbalance to the ground. His body swayed and teetered as if beaten by the wind. Neji merely tilted his guarding hand just like Hiro did. He spun around, imitating Hiro’s barrage of attacks, paring at his opponent’s brittle defense. Hiro couldn’t keep up with Neji’s agility no matter how much he tried. Moreover, Hiro’s opponent no longer used the basic gentle fist style taught to every Hyuuga. Neji exchanged blows with Hiro using the same techniques flaunted at him. Hiro jumped backward on the tightrope, escaping the same barrage he assaulted Neji with. He can no longer anticipate Neji’s moves if the moves were his own. Hiro struck his feet to the ground and dashed toward his opponent. Neji’s eyes widen at the sudden struggle for the offensive.

He and Hiro impacted, sharing blows after blows, counterattacking at the last second, never once breaking contact. The fight spiraled like a jagged dance, elbows and hands poking at every angle, ducking to dodge, leaning for a penetrative blow. Keen eyes looked onward in awe of the deadly choreography. Hanabi even rose from kneeling to see the intensely fast pace brawl. Neji fully broke through Hiro’s defense, separating his arms from the center of his body, and opening Hiro’s chest for a straight stabbing palm. Hiro recognized this stance; Neji had jabbed his elbow to his chest earlier. This was a rendition of the same attack, and Hiro focused his inner chakra to shield his center to cushion Neji’s hit. Neji realized what Hiro was doing and brought forth both his hands, driving them out. His elbows faced sideways and he carried out the bumping palm, thrusting Hiro far back to his side end of the tightrope sparring space. Hiro skidded backward, trying his best to collect his balance. Neji wasn’t done yet; he wanted the fight to end. Neji dashed toward Hiro as he was still vulnerable and executed a drilling palm with both his hands. He hit both Hiro’s jaws, sending his opponent flying midair before crashing to the ground. The loud thud bounced against all four walls of the hall. Hiro groaned in inconceivable pain, his head was literally almost knocked off his spine. Neji resumed a casual posture and watched as his opponent cradled his jaws and neck; he was unable to get up to continue the fight.

Hiro lost his proposal to obtain Neji’s eyes and Neji simply batted an eye at the older head member. “Hiro-san,” he announced, “you should worry about your progeny.” Everyone knew of Hiro’s age. Two years past the marriageable age of eighteen and he hadn’t matched himself a woman to produce his progeny. Hiashi kept a short snicker as his nephew refined himself, returning to his seat without further to say.

Hanabi sat down as she saw her cousin walking back. Her admiration for him grew immensely. Hiashi’s eyes lingered on Hiro for a few more seconds, “From today onwards, Hyuuga Neji’s name will be written alongside the head family lineage.” Hiro struggled greatly to his knees whilst holding his dislocated jaws. He glared at Hiashi with anger. Hiashi merely waved hand, gesturing for two attending members to assist Hiro away, “ Neiro-sama’s words cannot be taken back” The two clan members held Hiro up and began to escort him out of the hall, “make sure his grudge is monitored,” he commanded them. The doors finally closed and the aggression dissipated.

“I,” Neiro spoke to Neji, “never thought a day would come when I can finally call you my grandson, Neji.” The young man was washed with bewilderment. It hadn’t settled in the fact that he, in that instant, was now considered a part of the head family members. Neji could only give his grandfather a formal deep bow, placing his forehead to the back of his hands as they both descended to the floor.

Hiashi wanted to speak to Neji, preventing his nephew from being excused with the rest of the others. Whether he liked it or not, his nephew had initiated a change in the Hyuuga clan. Soon, intensification for reform pressed by branch members would begin, if they ever begin, and Hiashi wasn’t so sure if he’d be able to handle the ordeal to come. He’d dismissed the meeting just before anyone pried into his nephew’s marriage ordeals. Hiashi could already tell that Neiro was already dwelling on that thought. “You seem to be in deep thought, Hiashi-sama,” he heard Neji’s voice. Neji looked at his uncle with sincerity before bowing to him, “Thank you for looking after me.”

Seeing his brother’s son be at peace and live with less animosity within the clan, Hiashi finally let his thinned lips curve up. He smiled at his nephew’s gentle honor, “Word will soon spread of your curse mark’s removal,” he told him, “I’m afraid that others undeserving will create an uproar.”

Neji rose back up and his ears perked up. “I believe it will be unlikely, uncle,” he explained, “to them, my merits allowed for the curse mark to be bygone.” He lowered his eyes and glanced down at his hands, “You allowed favoritism sway you to remove it,” Neji met his uncle’s eyes, “that is the problem.” Hiashi was taken aback, “But the branch members would never dare hurt you for breaking the Hyuuga guidelines.” Neji slightly smiled, “To them, to all of us, you’ve saved a life. I just hope that the future will spawn a better era for our clan.”

Hiashi never knew his nephew had a way with words. Those words sent his worries far away, “I originally made you stay to tell you that Hokage-sama wanted you summoned the moment you’re awake.” Neji’s eyes widen and he panicked. “You should hurry,” Hiashi advised. With that, Neji hurried to his feet and paced out the door. Hiashi snickered and got to his feet. The Hokage said when it was convenient, to send his nephew to him. But with shinobi such as Neji, he took it as a sign of tardiness. Neji slid into his geta and bolted toward the Hokage’s building. Hiashi watched him go with a brighter smile on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the extremely long chapter.
> 
> Hiro is an original character.  
> Let's just say the emblem insignia is very noteworthy.
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	18. Drunken Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Konoha 13's get-together, Neji finds out both he and Tenten got sick. He visits her.

Neji didn’t want to get drunk, he didn’t even want to drink. One good week into a year of not working got everyone uninspired. Shikamaru inquired that all thirteen of them have their first get-together after the war. Frankly, if it were not for him, Neji would have refused the invitation for the BBQ. The fact that all thirteen of them were off duty meant that they could spend a long leisure night together without fearing that they’d be incapable of working the next day. They didn’t hold a job as of late; they all were off-duty for a good while. But just because they could drink didn’t mean that they should. And even though they could, they should have excluded Lee out of the drinking binge.

Neji and Tenten never had a high tolerance for alcohol but they still were the go-to bearers for their team member whenever the latter was offered alcohol. It’s quite annoying how rambunctious Lee was about receiving shots he couldn't take. For the first two hours just sitting at the table, Lee had passed an incomprehensible amount of shots to him, same to Tenten. “Take turns,” Lee said as he clinked glass shot cups with Kiba and handed it to Tenten. The culprit of it all was the dog-loving man himself. Kiba took on the duty to be the person sending out shots for the most ridiculous things. The last toast was for Sasuke’s reflexes when he caught a bottle of sake tipped over the table by Naruto’s clumsiness, and that was three minutes ago. Neji was fatigued, slurring his speech at every flick of the tongue whenever he scolded Lee. Sure, it felt good to be in euphoria, but it also felt good to lie down and sleep too. Neji groaned, cupping his cheek as his eyelids got heavy; to put it simply, he was ready to knock out. As for Tenten, she was drunk, responsive, but absolutely wasted. She responded to alcohol in a tranquil way; she became less talkative, even less responsive, and even more impaired in her motor skills and perception. The thought of worrying for her did cross Neji’s mind, but he was too tired to care. Nonetheless, the party went on without a hitch even as he slowly began to stop responding to their requests. Everyone seemed to have a large stomach for alcohol with the exception of Hinata. She had face-planted herself onto her empty plate for the last hour.

“We’re only teens!” Shikamaru yelled, hitting Kiba sitting on his right. “Plus,” he collected the refilled shot glass from the man sitting beside him and downed it, “she’d never come live in Konoha.”

The whole table rowdied up with everyone hollering except for Sasuke, the only unimpaired drinker of the night, Shino, who was too busy BBQing the beef, Sai, who sat at the curve of the table with a book to his face, and all three poisoned shinobi who were either knocked out or in the midst of collapsing: Hinata, Neji, and Tenten. Kiba even tried to shake the table at Shikamaru’s confession as Sasuke quietly judged his supposed friends. “So there is a thing between the two of you!” Kiba egged him.

“Must’ve been hard to see each other with that partial ban, amirite?” Ino asked Shikamaru loudly. It was no tale that everyone wasn’t sober anymore. And due to that fact, they’ve gotten louder and louder as the hour went by. The subject they were now on, that Neji could barely concentrate on, was what their goals were to be in the next few years. He missed a portion of conversation when he entered and exited his drowsy phases and couldn’t even connect how that topic linked itself to the idea of crushes and marriages. Kiba easily handed out a toast to Shikamaru’s eventual union with Temari before nosing his way toward everyone’s personal lives.

Kiba turned to Neji, who finally gave in to his drowsiness and nudged his upper arm, knocking him off balance. “Say, will you get married too?” Everyone anticipated a better answer than what they got, and what they got was a senseless shinobi who had succumbed to his alcohol poisoning and plopped on the space between himself and Sai.

“Is that a yes?” Shikamaru tried to confirm from Kiba.

Naruto then laughed aloud, his hand holding the pain the laughter gave and he pointed at Neji. His laughter brought about quite an amount of attention, causing Sakura to pull him down back into his seat. They were lucky to be given a private room or else they would have been kicked out. “Naruto-kun, what’s so funny?” Lee leaned into the table as Tenten rose up from her initial slumber to check on what the loud ruckus was about. Ino even patted her back, pitying her for having to take on half a load of shots from Lee.

“Who will want to marry Neji?!” Naruto blurted out. Sakura and Sasuke tensed up at that remark and they quickly shoved his mouth full of rice before covering his mouth. Sasuke knew better than to be on the bad side of a Hyuuga. If Neji was strong enough to escape the Infinite Tsukuyomi, he’d be strong enough to give the both of Naruto and him a run for their lives.

“N-Naruto!” Sakura yelled at him, pulling him down to his seat again for the second time as Sasuke peeked at the space where Neji occupied. One massive chakra blow from him and they’d all be rendered immobile for the next couple of hours.

Sitting beside Sasuke, Hinata’s heartbeat was running at maximum capacity. She wished she could sleep, but she was filled with anxiety that her heart may run out of her chest and she’d die. Shino, who was beside her, merely offered her a piece of meat as she rose her head up to hazily look at who was making the ruckus. Hinata stared at the piece of BBQ meat as it came down to her plate and blinked at it until a pair of chopsticks came to her meat and took it. She looked up, seeing that the culprit was none other than Choji. “What the hell?!” Shino shouted at Chouji who immediately placed it into his mouth.

“Choji don’t steal!” Shikamaru screeched at him. Chouji shrugged at the both of them. Shino then threw the culprit a piece of seaweed side dish, hitting him on the cheek. It also startled Ino too when the vinegar from the seaweed landed on her face. She thought that sitting beside a quiet person like Shino would mean sweet bliss because he was very aware of his own bubble but she was wrong. Ino wiped the vinegar off his her hand and cooed to Tenten. The dark-haired woman sitting beside her was so miserable and her motherly instinct kicked in.

“That guy is so callous and rude!” Naruto pulled off Sakura’s hand from his mouth to take one last full-hearted jab at Neji before Sasuke reached over the table and threw his full glass of sake at his face. Naruto shrieked, now pointing his finger at him before Sakura used her strength to wrap her arms around the loudmouth’s body to keep him from murdering Sasuke.

“I will,” Tenten’s monotoned voice projected out throughout the room. Naruto’s mouth opened and Sakura too could not keep the surprise from her face. Both of them peered toward the half-conscious woman. Sai, who had kept his book up his face finally lowered it down to glance at Tenten. Ino gasped, staring at the woman as she stared onward only to Naruto with half-opened eyes and a sluggish face. Tenten even raised her hand when she replied to Naruto, as if she was back in the academy answering a question. The feud between Shino and Choji died as fast as it began just as Hinata slammed her face directly onto her empty plate. A mere silence fell upon the room. Tenten then picked up the full shot of sake Kiba poured earlier for Shikamaru’s love life toast and downed it, following after with hitting her head onto the table for another dose of sleep.

Ino’s eyes crept toward Sakura and they both had the same devilish look in their eyes. In unison, they both squealed in a high pitch manner as Naruto finally collapsed onto his seat in shock. Sasuke merely tried to drown out the squeal as he raised a piece of the side dish to his mouth. “How troublesome,” Shikamaru commented as he swatted Choji’s chopsticks from picking up the meat Shino had been carefully cooking.

Lee, on the other hand, was more than shocked. He was ecstatic at Tenten’s answer and had let out a deafening cry of happiness. “Yosh! The springtime of youth!”

Kiba chuckled, hurrying to pour a shot for everyone else, “Toast! To the springtime of youth!” Immediately, everyone raised their glasses toward the center. Lee then handed his shot glass to Sai to take. It was now his turn to take the shot now that Lee’s exhausted his two members. Sai calmly brought the glass to his lips, reading in between the commotion. “Neji,” Kiba shook the unconscious man, “did you hear that?” His nudge brought about no response whatsoever. Kiba was in awe of the prodigy. “Did he not hear it?!”

“Oh my god!” both Sakura and Ino squealed in unison. Diabolical plans were forging in their heads. With their shinobi duties on halt, they’ve plenty of time to mingle and dabble in their kunoichi’s love life. It was too perfect for the two of them. Ino turned to Tenten and hugged the sleep out of her, she couldn’t stop squealing. “Thank you Tenten!” she yelled into Tenten’s face.

Tenten blinked, confused about what was going on as Ino swayed her violently, “You’re welcome,” she muttered. Her head then snapped to the left, and she stayed like that for almost a full minute. She gulped, “Did I say something about my laundry?” she asked them.

“No, no, no, no, no,” everyone chanted in accordance with the exception of Shino and Sasuke. All that Shino’s been doing was stacking BBQ meat on Hinata’s side dish plate as she continues to plant her face on her main food plate. Sasuke facepalmed and shook his head in dismay; all his friends were idiots. Tenten's eyes narrowed at all of them, especially Shikamaru for even joining in on answering her question. But then she let him off, turning toward Lee and resting her head on her arm on the table. Lee couldn’t hold in his laughter, and the moment his eyes met with Naruto, they both burst in laughter. Ino and Sakura joined in as Kiba suggested another ridiculous toast. Shikamaru sighed, distancing himself from the antics that could be plotted toward him and Temari.

Neji and Tenten had been dropped home by Lee of course and he had slept through the night with a massive headache. He woke with a massive fever and for a good five days after the BBQ, he couldn’t leave his house at all. Neji didn’t know how he caught it but had taken the correct precautions to reduce the fever. However, tackling a fever himself was harder than he could have imagined. The last time he was sick, his friends were attentive enough to stay with him for two days to make sure he’d recover. Neji let the medicine take its course, and on the day he recovered, he took this chance to restock on his medicine cabinet. He opened his closet, seeing his old and unworn white kimono. Neji felt the fabric, nostalgic of the old days wearing the same outfit whenever taking on missions. He missed working and his days cooped up in his home was boring him. The season turned colder and colder as Winter neared. Neji pulled out a navy kimono; he felt blue and somber today.

The cold air harshly hit his forehead; the sensation was new to him. Neji tightened a simple black sash onto his forehead. “Much better,” he whispered. Despite the whole clan knowing his curse mark was gone, it felt better to have something binding his forehead. He wore a pair of tabi socks and slipped into his geta before heading out to the apothecary. There was only one apothecary he needed to go to and the Nara Clan owned it. It just so happened to be situated beside Ino’s family floristry. The Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimichi, were clans who specialized in medicine. Neji waited outside the apothecary doors as he softly conversed with the Nara elderly woman preparing his medicine. She has always been sweet to him.

Ino then greeted him as she set out the flowers of the day onto the stand, “Hey, Neji-san.” Neji glanced her way, wondering what she had to say, “Tenten didn’t show up for our sleepover yesterday, do you know why?”

He raised a brow, “I don’t.”

“Oh,” she set down a pot of perennials on the stand placed her hands on her hips. She looked far into the path straight ahead where Tenten lived, “I’d check up on her but I don’t have the time,” she hummed. “Thanks anyway,” she met his eyes. Neji gave her a slight nod and went on his way. Ino scoffed at the stoic man and huffed, “Dear Lord, Tenten.” She thought he was too aloof and rude. The least he could do, Ino believed, was to check up on her or something. “Are you serious about marrying him?” she shook her head in disapproval. It wasn’t even about creating a plan to bring those two idiots together, Ino was genuinely worried for Tenten.

"Can you prepare a second order for me," Ino turned around and glanced Neji's way. He wasn't by the door of the apothecary anymore. Ino snickered as she saw him inside the store speaking to the old woman. 

"Looks like Sakura and I won't have to try as hard."

Neji knocked on Tenten’s door after climbing a set of stairs to get to her studio on the third floor. He thought he might as well check up on her now that Ino pointed it out. Neji waited, crossing his arms as he listened closely for any noise within her home. “Who is it?” a ghostly tremble rose from the door.

He was taken aback when he heard her hoarse tone, “It’s me,” he replied. Neji assumed her throat was inflamed and swelling. Her voice was pitched and groggy.

The door swung open, and he was presented with her unsightly self: her eyes red and her hair unkempt, sagging at the buns, her clothes disheveled, and her nose extremely pink. “Hey,” she greeted him, “Come on in why don’t cha.” She slugged her way right back onto her bed, plopping her face onto the blanket. Neji cautiously stepped in and shut the door as he looked around. He set the medicine he brought for her on the tiny kitchen counter and assessed her studio. It too resembled her unkempt self: her place was covered spottily with used tissue thrown all over near the trash can. He couldn’t believe that Konoha’s most accurate kunoichi missed nine times out of ten throwing her waste into the garbage three yards from her bed. “What are you here for,” she asked him.

She muffled through the sheets. Neji refused to move from the door entrance, “I brought you medicine,” he told her. Neji tiptoed to her kitchen counter and set her medicine down. “How long has it been that you’ve been sick?” 

“Including today?” she popped her head out toward him, “six.” She was in pain judging from her furrowed brows. “It’s been three days since I ran out of meds— ever since Lee took us home,” she bemoaned and shuffled blankets to her face. “Thanks for the meds.”

Neji breathed in the stuffy air and opened her window. A chilly morning wind blew through, sweeping the stale air out. He glanced over his shoulder back to her, noticing that she’s gone asleep. Neji turned around, leaning against the open window. This was her first time catching a fever so hard she could barely take care of herself. He recalled how much she’s cared for him, yet he’s never had the chance to do the same for her. _“if you insist on remembering it, repay the kindness back to others,”_ her old spoken words rang to his ears. She said to give his kindness back to others, but he only wanted to repay it back to her. It was only right that he do so. Neji bit his lower lip and lifted himself from her window sill.

While she slept, he tidied up her home, collecting her trash to one garbage, and washing the dishes she’s neglected due to her health. Tenten was a strong-willed person. Perhaps it was one of the reasons why he couldn’t give back her care to her until now. She rarely got sick, ever if he recalled. Neji brewed a kettle of water with a pinch of medicine before putting the small bag of herbs into one of her cabinets. He turned to look for anything else to do, pacing around her tiny studio. His eyes landed on their team pictures: one of when they just met their sensei, and one when they became Chuunin. Both pictures were crooked behind the glass.

Grief took over him and he knew why. Neji wondered why all three of them were orphans. He wondered why they were all put in the same team. Lee and Tenten never cried nor wallowed in sadness over their parents. Perhaps it was because they told him they’ve never seen their parents that they never cried. They all didn’t have a family to return home to, to have a warm meal prepared for them, or to have a voice welcome them home. Neji traced his finger on the picture frame; it was dustless. They all grew up alone with no guidance from others. The only thing they could lean on was themselves and each other. Perhaps, Neji thought, they were a family connected by their dreams to be stronger. A tint of a smile came to his lips and he turned to look at her from afar. He may not able to say it, but he needed them more in his life than they knew. “Why are you still here,” he heard her soft voice spoke.

Neji looked away and shrugged. He feared he was caught staring at her, “I— do you need anything else?” He crossed his arms and walked to the kitchen, pulling the kettle lid off to distract himself.

Tenten blinked several times, “No?” she replied. She got off of her bed and walked toward him. Neji tried not to panic. He closed the lid and faced her. Neji’s heart stopped beating the moment she leaned toward him. His eyes widen and he stepped away as she pulled the lid off. Tenten breathed out a cheerful sigh, “For me?” She shot him eyes filled with gleaming stars.

“Y-yes,” Neji stuttered. He didn’t know why his heart was beating so erratically. “I-”

“I think-” she cut him off, “this is the first time you’ve done something nice for me, Neji.” Tenten’s ears perked as she grinned at him. “Maybe I’m just dreaming again or something,” she muttered and narrowed her eyes at him.

 _“Again?”_ Neji asked himself.

Tenten stepped toward him, cornering him to the opened window. She crossed her arms, unsure if this was real or not. The "Neji" she knew never stayed in her home for more than thirty minutes. Tenten remembered clearly the last time he was here. They were still little genin and she had forced them to eat the food she’s made. Lee and Neji busted out of her house cradling their stomach. To have him here brewing medicine for her was almost out of his league. Tenten inspected every inch of his face and body. She didn't know why but she had a hunch that the person standing right before her wasn't her real comrade. “Are you the real Neji, or the perverted one?”

Neji scrunched his nose and he became uneasy. “Huh?” he muttered through his lips as he stared down his friend. He could feel the heat at his ears and cheeks the closer she leaned to his face. Neji held his breath as his heart began to blossom against his will. He feared that if she continued to lean toward him, he might not want her to ever stop.

The subtlety on his face screamed the "Neji" in her Infinite Tsukuyomi dream but as the same time, it didn't. “Oh shit you're-” Tenten was cut short when her body decided it was right then and there that she needed to cough. She leaned to the side, hacking out dry spells like there was no tomorrow. “Oh my god close the windows.” Neji exhaled a shallow breath and did as she asked. Tenten clung onto the kitchen counter as she roared hideously. Neji gulped, using all his might to push back those warm and funny feelings from his stomach.

And then it hit him, “Did you just call me a pervert?” Neji went over to the kettle, seeing tiny steam exiting the spout whilst she still coughed without ever intending to stop. He poured her a cup of medicinal tea and scooted it toward her. Tenten snapped up gasping for air. She wrapped her fingers over his hands, much to his surprise. Neji was like a lost doe at her recklessness. Did she know she was holding his hands? He may be stoic and strong on the outside, but beside her, and being alone with her, his insides melted.

She raised the cup to her mouth and swallowed the scorching tea. “Ugh,” she groaned with a long breath. She released his hand and he almost dropped the porcelain cup. Tenten took in a slow deep breath to clear her mind. She closed her eyes, rerouting her heavy brain to function. She opened her eyes and her peripherals caught a body standing beside her. Tenten snapped her neck toward him her brows furrowed. “Oh, you’re- Neji,” she veered her eyes back to the counter, her eyes wide and her lips pressed thin, _“the real Neji.”_ She mentally condemned herself to eternal shame as she shut her eyes and regretted uttering those words. His question floated in her mind, _“Did I just call you a pervert? Yes, I did.”_   Tenten faced Neji and scratched the back of her ear, “Yeah, I didn’t mean it though.”

“You said you were dreaming again, about me? About me being a pervert?”

“Yeah,” Tenten stalled. She wondered if she should just explain everything or hide it. She puckered her lips and casually stepped back to distance herself from him. Her ears shot a tint of red as she just recalled that she had cornered him, almost too close to kissing him. She absolutely did not want to reveal her fantasies to him, especially not in this life. “That Tsukuyomi got me really messed up. Can you believe I dreamed that you’re a pervert?” Tenten belted out a half-hearted chuckle, “It was so weird.”

Neji’s eyes squinted and he refined himself immediately. She didn’t make any sense to him and he wondered if he should even continue staying there. “You should rest, Tenten.” He averted all further questioning and headed for the door. Neji calmly walked down the stairs, unsure of how to reflect on what just happened. Perhaps, he should have left earlier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should've mentioned it earlier but Naruto and Sasuke have both arms.  
> Lee has a very strong immune system and often transfers flu viruses/bacteria onto others without knowing.


	19. Ino's Scheme

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ino's plan to inhabit Tenten's body and confess to Neji backfires, but not completely.

Creating situations to bring two people together was harder than Ino and Sakura thought. Ino scratched her scalp and plopped her face into the palm of her hands. The idea of putting two people in scenarios that would "spice" up their love life seemed so easy, but the big problem was the fact that it was Neji and Tenten whom they were trying to sabotage with love. Those two, Ino recounted, were too strict with their work lives. Sakura slid an energy drink toward her as she sat down from across their round table. They sat outside of Ino’s floristry under an all too bright afternoon sun with a cold but calm wind passing by from time to time. She sighed, cracking the energy can open and putting it up to her lips. “She’s acting as if nothing happened!” Ino yelled to the sky. "I swear to god you should've been there, they were this close to kissing!" Ino gestured the distance from which Neji and Tenten's lips were. It was almost about a foot long. 

"You spied on them."

"And what's the problem?" She's been spying on them the same day Neji went to visit Tenten after the apothecary.

Sakura raised a brow at the girl in front of her and merely brushed the question aside, “All three of them are always together,” she stated. "Is there not a time where Lee isn't with them?" 

"Why don't you just ask Lee out on a date?"

"And let you do all the work?" Sakura snapped back. 

Tenten and Neji were far too professional about their jobs as shinobi to ever hint at their relationship. In fact, she and Ino would have never gotten the slightest clue about them if Tenten wasn’t too drunk to be spouting about marrying Neji while he himself was knocked out. “They’d never agree to a sleepover,” Sakura tapped her nails on the surface top of the table. 

“Maybe I can just make Neji confess to Tenten and then the problem is solved,” Ino spouted as she twirled the slim energy can. “Can you imagine? Neji confessing to Tenten?” she smiled at Sakura, “She’d shit her pants!” 

“Oh please,” Sakura cut her off. “And then what happens after that?” she rested her chin on her hand and stared at the direction of Tenten’s house, “She’s too cunning to fall for that.”

Ino squinted at the direction that Sakura was looking at and coughed. It was getting colder by the day and soon they won’t be able to act out their schemes if they took too long. “Then should I just take over Tenten instead?”

Sakura snapped her head to her and laughed, “And then do what?” The latter shrugged, “Seduce the most callous guy second to Sasuke?” She chuckled and slammed her hand onto the table, “Actually, I’d like to see you try.” She stared at the blonde woman and the blonde woman stared back. It was a dare and Ino was sure to not back down. 

It was mid-afternoon, and if Ino jotted down Tenten’s schedule correctly, all three of them would be sparring at the village gate precisely because of the open area at the entrance. They both hurried to the gate, and instead of approaching Tenten out front, Ino had the idea to sneak her attack to her victim from the nearest building. She and Sakura staked out on the balcony of the second story of a noodle shop as they both waited for the correct time to strike. 

Tenten was approximately fifty yards away, and her two comrades were just about done switching offensives. “Now would be right,” she whispered. The Tenten was standing still and she was waiting for her comrades to catch their breaths. Her back was toward them and it was now both her and Lee’s turn to fight against the white-eyed prodigy. 

Ino placed her hand out as Sakura squatted near her, “Be ready to catch me,” she told her. “Ninpou, Shintenshin no Jutsu!” Ino aimed directly for Tenten's back; her accuracy was direct. She just didn't account for the distance between her and her target because the moment she was about to reach Tenten, the woman jumped out of the way. Ino had directly transferred her mind into the person standing behind her original target: Hyuuga Neji. 

“Oh my god!” Ino bespoke within her mind in Neji’s body. She knew she would be in deep trouble if she got hit by Lee or Tenten because her capabilities were far inferior to the person she was inhabiting. Ino could barely make an image of Lee speeding up toward her, to Neji in fact. Lee's speed came like a flash of light, “I can’t dodge it!” she yelled internally. She bailed from Neji's body, not without the last frame of Lee's Konoha Senpuu etched to her temple. Ino jolted out from her own consciousness and yelped loudly as her eyes widely displayed fear within them. 

“Ino!” Sakura tried to calm her down. “What happened?!” 

Ino immediately massaged her temple and she heaved uncontrollably, “I almost died!” she told Sakura. They both then peered over the balcony slyly to check up on their targets. 

Sakura gasped, “You missed,” she stated blatantly as she stared at the unconscious body lying on the ground. “Oh my god,” she uttered before heading down to aid the fallen friend. Ino slowly stood up, hesitant at first, before jumping down the balcony to join them.

* * *

 

Neji didn’t know what happened to him: one second he was staring at nothing but the dark and then the next, he was right back in his body. He knew well that it was not due to the byakugan, or the mukōgan if he should call it. When he came to, his eye sockets were hurting more than he could bear. his eyes were open, he was sure of it, but there was no visual signal to alert him of where he was. A ringing surmised, drowning out in his left ear until he distinguished Lee’s voice through the intense cacophony. Lee called his name, multiple times in fact. Arms lifted him up to a sitting position and Tenten’s voice thundered through his eardrums. 

“Your eyes!” she screamed, “it’s bleeding!” Tangibly? No, Neji didn’t feel anything rushing down his face except for the feel of her hands cupping his cheeks roughly. Her tone encompassed all sorts of panic and he too was panicking more than anyone was. “What happened to you?!” she yelled at him. 

Neji didn’t know what happened, he couldn’t even make out what occurred. It was as if his inner being didn’t exist for a split second. “Why didn't you dodge it?” Lee asked him, his voice plowed from the left. Neji didn’t know why he couldn’t dodge it but he couldn’t even tell Lee coherently. 

“Hey!” a voice projected from afar, it belonged to Sakura. Her footsteps came closer to him. “Let me check him,” she inquired. 

Tenten’s chaste touch of his cheeks went away and Sakura’s index finger lifted his chin up to examine the ordeal, “I can’t see anything,” was all Neji could say. 

“We should go to the hospital,” he heard Ino’s distinctive voice. In concordance, both his friends wrapped each arm around their shoulder. They made haste and he couldn’t keep up with their speed. Neji was in despair when the thought of losing his precious sight crossed his mind. It was inevitable to not think so when all he saw was pitch black. He had never thought about it, but being blind just became his worst fear. 

The room he sat in for the last two gruesome hours was impeccably cold. The chilly conditioned air had dried his sweat from the short spar and he was fatigued mentally and physically. Sakura had done all sorts of things to his eyes, dropping solutions in one after another before finishing it off by wrapping his eyes shut. She bonded them tightly with no regards to his depleting endurance to pain before telling him why he couldn’t see. “The good news is, it’s only temporary,” she took a slight pause, hesitant to relay the information, “the bad news is, I don’t know when you’ll have your eyesight back.” Sakura tucked the end of the bandage piece right behind his ear and gently placed her hand on his shoulder, “Lee’s kick narrowed the visual feedback from the eyes, limiting the circulatory chakra systems around them.” She then helped him stand up, feeling more guilty than Ino was, “I am confident that you will fully regain your eyesight, just don’t put any stress on them and make sure you’re well rested,” she told him, “it’ll make the recovery easier to tolerate.” Sakura placed a box into his hand and guided him out of the room and into the hallway, “It’s eyedrops for your eyes, it’ll numb enough of the pain.” Into the hallway, Neji could hear quite an amount of shuffling. He hadn’t the time to digest the information she had just told him. “Someone has to take him home,” he heard Sakura direct her command to the people in the hallway. He assumed that both his friends were there. 

“Thank you, Sakura-chan,” Lee’s voice bounced into his ears. “We’ll make sure he gets home safely,” he replied. 

Neji then felt Lee’s sturdy hands on his left arm, overtaking Sakura’s grasp on him. Tenten too came to his other side and held his right arm. “Let’s go.” However, Neji did not want to move. The realization was hitting him hard now that he finally accepted his blindness. His eyes were the sole reason why he was strong enough to be a worthy shinobi and it was stripped away from him over a petty kick. Neji was angry, knowingly displacing his anger toward Lee. He foolishly swiped his arm from Lee’s grasp, creating an unwarranted line of tension. Everyone had noticed, including Tenten, “Neji,” she riled at his rude action.

“It’s okay,” Lee assured her, “I caused this, so.” 

“Lee,” Tenten tried to console him to no avail. 

The man’s eyes darken and he began to walk ahead of them, “Make sure Neji gets home safe,” Lee asked of Tenten. She agreed silently and Neji knew because she nudged him slightly. 

“Make sure to change the bandages daily until the solutions run out,” Sakura advised Tenten. There was no feedback from her to anyone, not even him. When he felt the light of the sun hit his skin, Tenten finally spoke to him, “I get that you’re mad at Lee, but you know how he is,” she spoke to him, “he’s never going near you until you forgive him.” 

Neji took in a slow deep breath to try and calm his nerves. He should be the one she was defending, not a sulky teen and his childishness. Neji disregarded her misplaced nag, he wasn’t interested in forgiving Lee just yet. “If you don’t want to help me then, I’ll find someone else-” he shot back. His words were bold but he helplessly held on to the hope that she wouldn’t take his words seriously. 

“You must be crazy to think I won’t help you,” she cut him off. “I will be there to see you grow and become stronger,” she added, “this is just a tiny hurdle that we’ll have to tackle together.” Hearing these kinds of words would be cheesy if it came from anyone else but her. Neji gripped the box Sakura gave him tightly. 

Neji was nervous and unsure of how to interpret where he was in relation to his home. The Hyuuga compound was a series of wide alleyways where tall walls toppled over their heights. There was no main entrance to distinguish that one was wandering into the Hyuuga compound with exception to the head family members. The head family members all lived more or less under the same roof. Regardless, branch family homes were scattered and there was no specific way to navigate through the labyrinth to get to his home. 

When Tenten told him they were home, he didn’t even recognize the route she took to get him there. Tenten took his free hand and guided it to the entrance of his home, “This is the gate entrance, just walk and start counting your steps. I’ll tell you when to turn to head for the flat stone step,” she explained to him. Neji’s fingertips lingered on the icy wall of cement as he felt her hand fall off his wrist. He took in a deep breath and took one step forward. He heard her scurry past him, “Keep going,” she told him. Neji took another step, followed by another, and another until she told him to turn left. He counted twelve steps. Neji awkwardly turned and had to be readjusted by her when he faced the wrong direction. Her hands gently tapped his shoulders, spooking him. “Okay, start counting again,” Tenten told him. All of his senses dialed up higher than normal. Her tone sounded louder than before even though he knew it wasn’t true. Neji counted his steps to eight. 

Tenten’s presence beside him as she guided him all throughout his home was more than welcomed. He’d rather it be her than anyone else. Though they were making adjustments and creating new methods of finding things on the go, he was never tired. She tested him, telling him to navigate his way to other places within his home, making him find items he barely recalled he owned, and even attempted to perform a task such as laying out his bed. “Thank you, Tenten,” Neji said to her. The day was running out and the evening soon became a gloomy gray. They sat on the engawa, feet dangling to the floor after finishing store-bought bento. 

“Nah,” Tenten refused his thanks, “you can thank me after your eyes heal.” Neji snickered; she hadn’t changed at all. Tenten tilted her head to him, she wondered why he’d smile like that; like he’d just seen something he liked. The man sitting beside her, she saw that he’s truly grown and changed. “Are you sure you want to wait to shower tomorrow?” she asked him. 

Neji nodded, “Yeah, you’ve done enough for today.” She stayed a bit longer, just until the sun went down the horizon halfway and bid him farewell for the evening. He couldn’t see her go, but he heard her footsteps disappear from his place. She told him she’d talk to Lee and she said she would be back tomorrow at six. With her company gone, Neji felt more hollow than ever. This day was a day filled with laughter, talk, and a presence he had never allowed in his home for such a long duration. Added that it was the person he knew he wanted to pursue, it made losing that sense of companionship a larger loss than losing his eyes. It was ridiculous to dwell in such thoughts and Neji knew that it was so, but he couldn’t wait until she returned tomorrow.

* * *

"Do you think I failed?" Ino was guilty of putting Neji in danger but couldn't even own up to it.

"Ino, Neji-san will be fine," Sakura replied. "As long as Tenten's taking care of him I'm pretty sure he'll make a full recovery."

Ino crossed her arms as she watched Tenten lead Neji out the hospital clinic, "Look at how she's holding him!" She squealed softly.

Sakura chuckled and rolled her eyes at her friend, "You're lucky he doesn't know you made him that way."

"I'll make up for it," Ino turned to Sakura and smiled, "should I plan a sleepover?"

 


	20. You Encompass All of My Thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tenten has a meltdown after finding out Neji's curse mark is gone.

He heard the last of the birds of Autumn. Neji woke up to the sounds of birds chirping. One thing lost when blind was the sense of time. If it weren't for the noisy birds, he'd think it was still dark. Neji sat up, unwary of his surroundings. He didn’t dream of anything yesterday night, much to his dismay; doing so would have given him some kind of visuals. 

The morning weather was cruel, cold and windy. Neji sat by the engawa with his head leaning on the post as his feet touched the stone step. He had kicked his geta off of the stone step and hadn’t been bothered enough to pick them up yesterday. If he searched for them, would he look like a fool? So far, no one has come to visit. It's not that he craved the attention, Neji just wanted someone to be his eyes for a while. And so Neji waited for Tenten to show up. He wanted to hear her voice again, he missed their brief shared touches yesterday, he missed being around with her. The darkness that he saw in his blindness made him realize that he won’t be able to see her for a while. All night yesterday, he couldn’t sleep at all. 

Neji stayed up thinking about what she said regarding her dream in the Infinite Tsukuyomi. In his dream, she was clingy, always wanting to hold him, because she was his woman, because those were his desires. But in her dream, he was a pervert, someone whom she must tread around carefully. Neji couldn’t understand why that was what it was. Why was he a deviant in her perfect dream? And if he really was a perverted person, how could she, as Hamura said it, lose herself to the dream all because of him? Neji blew out a sigh through his nostrils and wished he had the courage to ask her when she comes to visit him. 

His mind veered to that day, the day he visited her in her home. Truthfully, there was never a day where he didn’t go about thinking of it. The "Tenten" he knew would never have the guts to approach him in such an indecent way. He wondered why she closed the space between them if she was suspicious of who he was. Though he acted unfazed by her intimacy, Neji was mesmerized that tiny moment. His mind floated like bubbles against his will when she pulled in closer to him. He wanted to hold her in actuality if they ever got that close again. “Hey!” Neji’s ears perked and he lifted his head from the post; he knew that voice. Her footsteps came closer to him, “Sorry for being late! I went to the market to grab a few groceries so you can start practice cooking,” he sensed nothing but glee in her voice. 

“How high is the sun?” Neji asked Tenten. He wasn’t thinking about time, about the sun; he was preoccupied with her. But she would never know, and his question was far too fitting for his demeanor.

Tenten looked to the sky, her eyes scanned across the horizon, “I don’t know,” she told him, “the sky is gray and it will rain soon.” She looked back at him and saw an expressionless face. “Shall we get started?” she asked him with a smile. Neji couldn’t see her expression, but she hoped to get her sincerity through to him by her actions. Neji slowly got to his feet and stood by the post, one of his arm wrapped around it for support. Tenten hurried up to his engawa with her arms full. She brought him a gift but didn’t want to tell him just yet. As much as she didn’t want him to move around so much, she knew it was in his nature to do things on his own. 

He followed her trail of noisy footsteps. She opened a door; the sound of the sliding railed across the floor and a thud hit his floor. He didn’t question it and she closed the door. Her footsteps trailed carelessly, leading him to his kitchen. Neji knew Tenten doesn’t cook, more so she couldn’t cook, and he knew he was the only one who could do it despite rarely doing so. He leaned close to the wall by the kitchen’s entrance; standing in an empty space made him feel blinder, “What did you buy?” 

The paper bag ruffled as Tenten pulled out the tiny ingredients, “Rice, greens, and tofu.” She crumpled the bag away and stepped over to the sink, “Come wash your hands,” she told him. 

Neji was like a child watching a mother preparing food, except in this case, he was the expertise, guiding her. He left the safety of the familiar walls and stepped out into the empty space. His hands immediately began to search for her, they swayed slowly like waves. Her voice, like the sea, was calling for him. Neji longed for where she was. Alas, he felt something, his fingers touched something. It was cloth. More specifically, it was her shirt that draped down her back. Neji immediately removed his hands from her loose clothing and found the counter. He had come to her just as she’s asked. And just as they’ve practiced many times yesterday, Neji washed his hands. 

Her presence left his side and he tried not to think of it too much. Their parting would be short, and they would meet again. “Where is your rice cooker?” Tenten asked him. She opened every cabinet he owned but found nothing of the sort. 

“I don’t have that,” Neji replied. He turned off the faucet and reached for the towel. “Just use a pot."

Tenten pulled out a pot with a handle. She hurried to him, “Like this one?” 

He felt her hand guide his hand to the item she discovered. Neji rimmed the pot with his finger; it was a bit big to cook rice in but it would be fine. “This will do.” 

Neji couldn’t explain how he felt when she was with him. It just felt right to be with her. When it comes to cooking, she became a child. She was his eyes, but her confused voice enamored him to no end. Tenten was a curious person, always asking a little bit too many questions for the tiniest things. “Like this?” She asked him. She placed the container of rice she was washing it in in front of him, asking him if she was washing them correctly. Neji couldn’t tell; he was in a mind of his own. Her presence was becoming addicting the more she stayed beside him. He wished he could see her now. Neji felt the bowl and could only judge her method by feeling it. He didn’t think of it much until his hands dipped into the icy water, perhaps it was murky already, but what does he know; he's blind. 

His hand brushed over her’s and she froze. Tenten gazed at the person she’s admired in secrecy. She wondered how he felt at a moment like this. Was he in despair? Was she asking too many questions? She wished she knew what he was thinking. 

Neji’s hands wanted to interlace their fingers. He wondered how neat it would be to find warmth in this cold pool of water. However, he couldn’t bring himself to do it, but his touch lingered longer than it should have been. 

Tenten struck out of her intense gaze and glanced to his hand; they’ve left her’s. “Like this,” he demonstrated to her with his muscle memory. The grains felt like jagged needles. Tenten watched his hand closely and then mimicked him. Her disturbance in the water cued Neji to stop. 

After a lifetime of never thinking of wanting to ever hold anyone’s hands, he wanted to hold her’s. If they continue to speak of nothing, would they go anywhere? Neji’s lip trembled at the mere thought. Would he'd be able to love her in this cruel world? How many lifetimes had they come together? Would it be alright to love her? Bolstered by this heartbreaking thought, Neji immediately searched for the disturbance in the water, her hands. He had several doubts but she drew him to her. Why has he only began to see her in this way only now? 

He who was the calm wave has met the shore that was her. He covered her hand with his’, like an ocean embracing an island. His fingertips overlapped her’s as she continued to wash the grains. Neji didn’t want to let go, “You’ve got it,” he underwhelmed his praise. He removed his hand and dried it with a towel. His voice gave praise, but his heart and mind knew there were so much more behind that impulsive touch. 

Tenten was relieved that Neji couldn’t see to witness her, for, at that moment, blood swarmed to her face. She felt that warmth cushion her cheeks, her ears, and her nose. If he continued to act straightforwardly, she might falter. All this time, Tenten guarded her feelings up so well. If he saw her now, her facade might just crumble off. To her, loving him from very far away was the right thing to do. It was the route she believed would be best for them. Loving him from afar was like watching a bird soar in the sky. She told him that she would be there to see him become stronger, to see him fly. This life was cruel to them, and so she believed she must bring this love into the next life. Tenten could wait for him, a year, a hundred, a thousand, or into eternity. Someday, in the future she couldn't foresee, in a lifetime where she was courageous enough, she'd tell him about all of her feelings. 

They waited for the rice to cook after the tofu was stir-fried. Quite a lot of things were running in his mind as they both leaned their backs on his counter while standing beside one another. Their arms touched and neither wanted to move, but they felt they should have. “How was I like in your dream?” Neji bit his inner lip, he wanted to ask her that a long while ago, “in the Infinite Tsukuyomi, I mean.” 

She glanced at him, trying to search for any hint from his face; but with his eyes bound, she couldn’t find anything. “The dream?” she repeated his words, “you were-” she paused. Her mouth wouldn't say it but her mind sure did,  _"You were a gift to me._ " Tenten recalled that dream, among many other separate dreams of him. The Infinite Tsukuyomi wasn’t special, it merely made him and everyone else in her dream the complete opposite of each other. Deep inside, he was still the caring person whom she cherished. “You weren’t so aloof,” she replied. Her eyes gazed at him with tenderness, “You laughed a lot in my dreams, you were childish but nicer to everyone,” she told him. A delicate warmth radiated to her chest as she recalled their affectionate touches in the dream. 

Though she would never receive his kisses in this life, her dreams made up for them. Their kisses and lingering touches felt real even when she knew it wasn't so. But must she excuse it away when this was the only way she'd experience this kind of love from him? Tenten didn't want to taint their friendship in this lifetime. As for their kisses that were easily given like swaying flowers frolicking in the mid-summer breeze, she'd keep them to herself. Tenten blinked, losing herself to her dreams with him beside her. She looked down to her hand that he caressed and her fingers traced over his touches, mimicking his soft grasp of her hand. Her lips curled, “Your heart was warm in my dream,” she ended. “What about you?”

What about him? Neji didn’t want to remember it. He could see the life leaving her eyes as his hands choked her to death. “I didn’t have the chance to see you in my dream,” he lied. Tenten bit her lower lip, sadden that she did not make it into the dream of his desire. However, even with sadness came a tint of happiness in it. This life of hers was just one of many more to come. She believed that if she continued to do enough good deeds, she’ll be able to meet him in the next life and the next one after that. Neji crossed his arms and wished he could say something to reassure her but he came up with nothing. For a while, they stood next to each other, not wanting to separate their touch. 

The bath water turned lukewarm. A long time had passed since Neji got into the bath. He wondered why he felt so hollow. All that clouded his mind was Hamura. A millennium had passed by since and he wondered if they, as reincarnations of two beings that were never meant to be, were able to come together as one. Neji thought about the man Kaguya called her lover. He thought about Tenten in those old clothes as she spoke to the Goddess. If she was the reincarnation of Kaguya’s lover, and he was a reincarnation of the Goddess herself, could it mean that their life would become a tragedy? The thoughts agonized his mind. “How could a millennium go by, and have us parting with each meeting?” Neji won’t accept it. How could he not pursue her when it was clear in his heart that she was his soulmate? “I have the choice to make it work,” he mumbled to himself, “and I’ll only choose her.” Neji was set on rewriting their tragedy. For their lives to come, he will make it that she be by his side. Neji ran both his hands through his hair in frustration. He loved her so, and just the thought of not being able to stand beside her made his heart waver. A lump formed at his throat, and he tried to swallow it down. It was so clear to him that it was no coincidence they were born in the same year. In this sophisticated world, they were able to meet, become friends, and harbor each other’s backs. It was no coincidence that they were reborn to complete their love in this life. No matter how Neji saw it, he firmly believed that this was his purpose to have survived countless times from death. 

“Yo,” he heard her speak through the paper door, “are you done yet?”

“I am,” he replied softly. He must have lost track of time thinking about them. Neji walked out of the bathroom after a few minutes and traced the walls of his home to his room. She told him she’d be there to change his bandages. 

Tenten unraveled the bandages off, including the sash that bound his forehead. She sat behind him, undoing them as carefully as she could. The bandages were soaked and she discarded them to the side. Tenten scooted around to face him, her mind preoccupied with opening the box of eye drops that Sakura gave him. She kneeled in front of him. Their knees touched as her head bowed, prying the lid off to get the eyedrop. Tenten finally looked up to Neji and her heart dropped. She opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came out. Her once fleshy color drained from her face. Tenten stared at the man she loved; his curse mark was gone.  _ “It will only disappear if I die.” _ Her heart shook uncontrollably and the eyedrop fell from her hand. Without her knowing, her tears had fallen. “Neji,” she desperately called to him. Was he an imposter? Did he die? Did she die? Was this all an illusion? Her voice trembled and her shaking hands cupped his face. Her tears wouldn’t stop streaming down her cheeks. Tenten caressed his cheeks, “Are you dead?” she cried out to him. Neji held her hands. “No,” she refused. She knew that life was cruel, but she never thought it would be this brutal. 

Neji refused to let her go. He held her wrists tightly, keeping her near him. Being with her and thinking about them made him forget to tell her about his curse mark. “I’m not dead, Tenten,” he explained as she continued to fight against him.  _ “Please don’t go,” _ he begged in silence. “I’m still here,” he desperately clung onto her. He opened his eyes, seeing nothing but blurriness and light. In his eyes, he could see her in the form of a dark blob. No longer was his sight just black, he'd gain some sort of feedback. She was in desolation and her trembling voice told him so. “It’s me, I’m still here,” he called to her.

Tenten held her breath and ripped her hand from his grasp. She wanted to believe what he said was true, she wanted it all to be true. “Don’t lie to me!” she yelled to him. “He’s dead isn’t he?!” How could he be alive when he told her he’d only be free of the curse mark if he died? Tenten scooted away from him and threw the box, hitting his closet. 

“Tenten calm down,” Neji pleaded. His mind wandered to how he could prove himself. “It really is me! Just, ask me anything only I would know.” 

She shook her head in disbelief as a tiny glimpse of clarity came to her mind. Tenten wanted what he said to be true so much. She traversed back to their genin days. Just reminiscing about it made her tears freefall. “Lee, you, and I,” she choked through her tears, “we made a poem.” Tenten shut her eyes and she held her sobs. “Each a line that symbolized us,” she spoke. That poem, he remembered clearly. It was after they’ve failed their first Chuunin exams. It was only then that they saw through each other, recognizing their shared similarities. Their broken backgrounds, their loneliness that encompassed their souls; that poem became their special code. It became their exclusive words to become more than just friends, or comrades; they were a family of three. Tenten hyperventilated on end. “Say it,” she told him. “Do you know the poem?” There was no way anything could pry it out of Neji’s dead body, if he were to be dead. 

All that Neji could see was her silhouette. They all promised never to forget this poem because this was the moment that their friendship strengthened. “Glazed glass frosted over, dried leaves shield battered windows, who thinks the autumn wind cold,” he recited from his heart. 

The glazed glass that frosted over to the impending autumn cold, it existed as a sheet of a veil that would soon peel away. The home's glazed glass would fill with warmth, like Tenten's neverending care for them, she'd be the backbone of all of their friendship.

Dried leaves shield battered windows, beat around the land from the tree that they fell. Pressed against the fragile window, mosaic sunlight shines through. Like Lee's unwavering will to train, breaking every bone in his body and beat at the end of the day. He returns a blinding smile that holds a gaze.

And Neji, who thinks the autumn wind cold. He was a wind always willing to stay. A cold demeanor he expresses, yet nonetheless accompanies the wilting leaves that would turn green and the home that breathes warmth only because of the season. 

Neji placed his hands on his knees as his eyes fluttered dimly, "I meant to tell you and Lee sooner." His balled both his fists, "I'm sorry," he calmly added.

Tenten broke down into complete tears. She wailed, lamenting at the unbelievable predicament. For a strong moment, she thought she’d lost him. Tenten crouched to the floor and buried her face to her knees. She cried hard, wailing and waiting for the shock to leave her body. Neji wanted to comfort her, but knowing her attitude, he could not. Tenten had cried multiple times around him, some for the most ridiculous things. She always warned Lee and him to let her be in times like this. She wanted to cry alone, and if she needed a shoulder to cry on, she could come to them. “I will tell you everything,” he told her. She deserved to know and so did Lee. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics are internal thoughts


	21. Hiashi's Decision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tenten gifts Neji an instrument to accompany him on his journey to recovery and Neji confesses his feelings for her. Hiashi must make a difficult decision for the benefit of his children including his nephew.

It didn’t rain much in near the end of Fall, but she was right about the weather. The sky showered a long and unsparing amount of rain. Tenten said it would rain, but Neji didn’t believe it until it did. He didn’t want his eyes bandaged anymore, more so because he could see the movement of light, even though it was slight. The shower came around noon, as she had told him. They couldn’t sit by the engawa touching the rain as it fell from the eaves because the surface was too wet. But Tenten had opened both his doors to let the pitter patter drown out his ears. He sat by the door, leaning on the door frame looking out to the outside. He propped his hand on his knee, listening to her tune the gift she gave to him. Serene moments like this was what he always liked, and it was all the better with her beside him. Tenten gave him an instrument, a gǔqín, she pronounced. “A friend to the ears, isn’t it nice?” she asked him earlier. Neji supposed she was right, his mind was running slower these days after the war. “Okay, I think I’m done,” he heard her say. She moved his short-legged table to the front of him and placed the instrument on it. He had never heard what sound it created until she guided his fingers to the strings. He plucked it and the vibrations trembled delicately to his ears. They both chuckled at the awkward sound it made. “I saw how it is played,” she elaborated. Her hand guided his left hand, letting the side of his thumb run across the thin strings. “You move your thumb like this,” she plucked the string his thumb was on and then shifted his thumb up and down. The melody was quite unusual.

“I see,” Neji replied. The sound was somewhat, sad in tune. On a gloomy day like this, she had given him a gift filled with melancholy. They both learned to play the gǔqín together, taking pleasure in each other’s presence as their chuckles slipped from their lips. Their adoration was pure. Neji couldn’t stop smiling with just the thought of seeing her laugh.

As the day drew to a close, a yellow glow emitted to his eyes. Tenten turned the lights on for him and set a tiny plate of berries to the side of the table for him to eat. She gazed at his demeanor as he continued to form a melody to her ears. The man she loved was finally free from his curse. She could tell that he was brighter and more easy-going. Tenten was enchanted in his beauty; his regal fingers struck each string with purpose and elegance. She wished that he continue to smile as they live their lives onward. “It’s getting dark, I should head home,” Tenten announced to him.

Neji stopped playing the instrument, “Right,” he answered. The time went by so quickly whenever he was with her. He heard her remove the table to the side and he knew she was going to leave for the second time. He didn’t want her to go, not after a delightful day such as this, not after being so sure of his feelings for her; they no longer were mutual. On a dark and rainy like this, she was the only one who shined. Neji wasn’t wrong about his feelings for her at all, “Tenten,” he called to her in desperation. She was in front of him and he knew it.

“Hm?” Tenten turned to him, she’d closed one of his doors.

“I want to see you,” he despondently asked for a favor. His heart trembled, “Will you let me touch your face?” He waited for an answer, but there was none. Neji’s heart throbbed a sore and close his fists. He was too bold and she’d left him as silent as the night. But just as he was about to falter, he felt her hands encapsulate both his fists. Neji gasped an impalpable breath as she pulled his hands close to her. She didn’t say anything but let his palms gently press themselves to her cheeks. Tenten couldn’t say anything to him, she didn’t know what this fluttering feeling was in her chest, but it was stopping her from uttering a word.

If she said anything, she knew she would cry. She shouldn’t be sad, but she was nonetheless. Tenten never knew how to read a person just by their eyes, and it must be why her heart was aching so much. Did he simply want to see her? Or did he want to speak of something? She let him touch her face, his fingertips tracing every inch of her skin, from the tip of her nose to the tip of her cupid’s bow, Tenten tried not to cry. She could never refuse him, not in this life. Did he know what he was doing to her? Did he know she was suffering because of him? Every light brush of his thumb made her drunk in her love for him. “The world is too cruel to me,” her heart whimpered, “you’re torturing me aren’t you?” Her silent thoughts hovered above her head, she couldn’t deny his request. She simply gave in, wishing this kind of touch was sincere, wishing it was his love. Tenten then felt him tug on her. He drew her close to him and her eyes widen, “You-” she couldn’t finish her thoughts at all.

Neji’s heartbeat thumped erratically. He will confess with this gesture, he will reveal his true nature and tell her. Not with his words, no, he was too bashful to say it, those three words. Neji leaned in to tell her with his kiss, with all his being, he wished to give them all to her. Only she can save him from the darkness. “Please don’t go,” he repeated it over and over again in his head. “You’ve held your hand out to me now,” he could feel her breath touch his lips, their noses met, and it felt as if the world stopped for them. Their beating heart, silenced by the unrelenting rainfall, belted out their cries for each other. Neji closed his eyes, cherishing the moment that has yet to come. He’s never kissed anyone and he knew he will never kiss anyone but her. A sweet moment, luscious in dreams and yearnful at heart, he wished to kiss her.

“SKCH!” The sound of geta, hesitant and scraping the pebbled floor, sounded loudly from the rainy music. Tenten pulled away; their lips had yet to even touch. She looked toward his entrance gates, seeing nothing but darkness. Her sudden parting left his warm hands clinging onto her cheongsam. He didn’t want her to go, “Who was it?” he asked her.

Tenten turned to gaze at him; their fleeting moment had flown away, but she continued to smile. “I didn’t see them,” she told him. His tight grip on her cheongsam relaxed when she placed her hand on his’. “I’ll be back tomorrow,” she softly spoke. Tenten removed his hand from her lap and couldn’t help but take in his sincerity to her. She carefully caressed his cheek, “Goodnight Neji,” she softly spoke. Neji held back his yearning for a second time. He listened to her footsteps mingle with the rain until he no longer heard them. He will see her tomorrow.

Neji awoke to the sound of footsteps on his engawa. He hadn’t known he overslept until she came. She said she’d come at six the first time, but the light that his vision allowed him to interpret was brighter than the light that would normally shine through at dawn. Neji got up and slid the door open, hearing those extremely heavy footsteps stop. He heard a separate pair of footsteps too; they were on his courtyard, and they were leaving. “Who is there?” he shouted. Tenten would have greeted him by now, and since he hadn’t heard anything, then it must not be Tenten.

“Neji,” his uncle’s voice thundered to his ears. Neji tensed up, unsure why his uncle was here. “I heard that there was an accident regarding you, therefore I personally sent Hanri to make sure you recover.” Hiashi glanced at his disheveled nephew; there was a mix of emotions he’d never seen on the young man’s face.

“Hanri?” the name struck familiar but Neji couldn’t point it out. Regardless, he had no need for her, “My apologies for your worries, but-” the woman shifted her footsteps, it seemed as though she turned to his uncle, “Tenten and I have made arrangements regarding this matter.” Neji couldn’t believe the sudden arrival of someone he hadn’t known for a while.

Hiashi’s brows furrowed at his nephew’s objection. “The Hyuuga Clan compounds are not a place where outsiders can enter and exit freely,” he stated to Neji, “if you wish to complain, come to me.” Neji’s heart dropped. He wondered why, at his weakest moment, he was sabotaged by his uncle. Neji knew that he won’t be seeing Tenten anytime soon. He was angry but what his uncle said was true. Perhaps, they would only be able to meet outside his home now.

“Neji-kun,” Hanri softly spoke to him. He slightly tilted his head to her direction and gave a tiny nod, “use me as you please.” She bowed to him, but Neji couldn’t care less. He closed his door and tried to suppress the anger from his eyes. Neji didn’t remember when he was this mad at something. Without the owner of his eyes, without Tenten, he didn’t feel like doing anything. Those memories of them from yesterday turned bittersweet. Until his eyes heal, he won’t be able to see her. Neji feared that this Winter would be a long one without Tenten by his side. He pulled the covers over his head and suffocated in his own thoughts.

That morning wasn’t quite as cold and it had stopped raining before Tenten came. Hiashi slowly walked back to his compound after executing what he’d just done, as what the elderlies had forced upon him. Hiashi knew that he shouldn’t have forced his nephew to come into terms to accept the Hyuuga’s young maiden to keep him company as he healed, but it was the best choice for him. There was a reason as to why their meeting regarding his merits halted short. Hiashi knew that the elders would prompt for his nephew to accept an arranged marriage. They even made the effort to jump into it right after bestowing him their proposals. And though Hiashi knew his nephew would never accept it, the young man would also never be able to object to it.

Days and nights after that former meeting, the elders held meeting after meeting. They were all about deciding the most fitting maiden for Neji. “To secure his powerful mukōgan-” Hiashi recalled. It was an arranged marriage to keep the livelihood of the powerful eyes in the clan because of the tragedy in the past regarding the first Hyuuga who was able to obtain the set of mukōgan. That Hyuuga who was able to conjure the mukōgan many years ago died without an heir, halting any progressions for the Hyuuga’s kekkei genkai.

“Neji has never shown interest in anyone-” Hiashi’s thought ran wild as he made his way home. He thought that was so too; his nephew had always been quite distant about implicating his feelings for others. However, upon yesterday night’s partial intrudence, Hiashi found that he was wrong about his nephew; they all were wrong. He came by yesterday to offer his nephew the elders’ proposal for an arranged marriage. He didn’t even know about his nephew’s accident. If the elders had accompanied him yesterday night and discovered their indecent gestures, there would be no end to the onslaught.

“Then send your daughter this instant!” Hiashi had made it home and the guilt followed him. He held an extremely late meeting into the night yesterday, discussing what he saw. If he hid it from them, as he hid removing the curse mark, he’d lose favor and power. It’s not that favor and power were what he lusted after; Hiashi needed them in order to protect his children, including Neji. A head family member’s daughter was selected that night to be betrothed to his nephew. Hiashi couldn’t bear to tell the truth to Neji, the whole truth of why Hanri was there. He returned home filled with disgust and guilt.

His nephew’s woman was on her way to his home. Hiashi could see the meek smile on her lips as she held a tiny white bag. He had been waiting for her to pass by for the last ten minutes. Hiashi interrupted her hasty walk to the Hyuuga’s home before the sun rose up high. Though he did not want to proceed with the task he was given by the elders, he knew it was the only way to give Neji the life he needed. “Hiashi-sama,” her preoccupation in her own thoughts ceased when she saw him. This child naively came to him and formally bowed to greet. “Are you also heading this way?” She asked in exasperation. The child’s nose was red from the cold and the white bag she held swung to a stop.

“Neji-” Hiashi closed his eyes in shame, “has no need for you anymore.” The child’s eyes widen, unsure if she heard the older man correctly. Hiashi supposed that she must have learned that the curse mark was removed because he saw his nephew’s exposed bare forehead yesterday night. “I assume you know all there is regarding his curse mark?” She nodded and lowered her eyes. “Then you must know that he no longer has the privilege to develop what little feelings he has toward you.”

Tenten furrowed her brows and collected her memories, “I’m not sure I’m following, Hiashi-sama,” she hesitantly said. Tenten now understood that the person who intruded yesterday was his uncle. She shouldn’t be embarrassed about it, about her and Neji at all, but she couldn’t help but feel guilty for giving in to those feelings.

Hiashi held his hands behind his back and slowly opened his eyes to look at the child before him. His nephew must love her deeply to have been so bold, allowing her to frequent his home. “Removing the curse mark signifies his rise to become a head family member,” he explained, “and as everyone in Konoha all know-” Tenten’s eyes widen as she continued to stare at the ground. She knew what Hiashi meant, “all Head family members are to marry within the clan.” Tenten’s hands began to shake and she took in a slow deep breath to stop herself from hyperventilating. “Do you understand my intentions?”

“I do,” Tenten managed.

“You are no good for my nephew,” Hiashi tried to be as cruel as he could. He hated that it was so hard to be the brutal person he presented himself to be in front of the woman that his nephew opened his heart to. Hiashi wished he didn’t have to separate them, and if it weren’t for the clan’s sake, his children’s sake, and for Neji’s sake, he wouldn’t have harshly told off the child. “Whatever you both shared, discard it.” Hiashi turned to leave, seeing that the child couldn’t say a word anymore.

He walked just a few steps before Tenten summoned the courage and clarity to reply to Hiashi, “Hiashi-sama,” she called to him. He turned to her and she hurried to him, handing out the tiny white bag she brought with her. “Please send my last gift to my comrade,” Hiashi looked at the bag and pitifully took it, “they’re tabi socks to replace the old ones.” Tenten bowed to him and she strengthened her heart, “Hiashi-sama, I can promise you that I won’t see him again-” her eyes rolled to the left, thinking about something, “at least until we are reinstated to work together after the year-long shinobi embargo.” Hiashi glanced at the child. Her eyes showed determination and there were no ill-feelings from her at all; he didn’t expect that. “But I cannot discard my feelings for him, if he comes to me, I won’t hesitate to go to him,” Tenten told him.

Hiashi sensed why his nephew liked someone like her. Nonetheless, he must only praise her within his mind, “Don’t worry, he knows his path,” Hiashi declared. His nephew absolutely knew his path and Hiashi was waiting for the day he would barge into the main family compound and cause a ruckus. That was who Neji was; he was a child trying to fight against the clan’s system. And as for Hiashi, he was only the puppet following orders in order to protect those he endeared. He turned back around and headed to his nephew’s chosen maiden’s home.

Tenten watched Hiashi go and though she should be feeling distraught over it all, she wasn’t. She never intended to let Neji know about her feelings for him. “It’s meant to be this way,” she whispered against the cold morning air. It wasn’t as chilly as yesterday morning, but it nonetheless froze her core. She’s said before that this life wasn’t meant for them to ever be together. Everything went against them and she was fine with it. There would be plenty of chances in every other life to love him if it were not for this one. Any common person would never have such confidence in the future, the next life, or the next chances at love, but Tenten was different. If she weren’t a shinobi, she would have been a successful fortune teller.


	22. The Fortune Teller

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Whilst being barred from taking care of Neji, Tenten takes the first month of Winter training alone. She thinks back to Neji's near-death moment and remembers of the one event that made her create the weapon that saved his life.

Dreams of a seer came in the form of the past and the present. Sometimes they’d come as alternate universes veering into several lives of particular people. There was never a constant formula her dreams came in. When Tenten was young, she’d dream only about herself. She’d dream of someone like her, perhaps her past lives, living an experiencing their day to day lives in different eras. Sometimes she’d dream into the future, like what she’d be doing in a year or two. Tenten then discovered how vast her abilities were. When she stayed around people for a prolonged amount of time, perhaps in years, she’d start to dream of them too. She’d start to dream of their lives, their pasts and presents, and alternate universes that they’d be in. Tenten constantly dreamed of her teammates, especially Neji.

It’s no secret that she liked him, she loved him now, but there was a time when she didn’t. When Tenten met Neji, she hated his rude demeanor. She believed they’d never get along together, all three of them actually. But the more she stayed beside him, the more her dreams began to reveal his unforeseeable reincarnations. She dreamed of Lee too, only in dreams that see into the future.

But with Neji, it was different; it was as if their lives were intertwined from lifetime to lifetime. She always dreamed of him and constantly, she was always beside him. At every step of the way, no matter what form those dreams were, whether she’d dream to the past, the other alternate universes, to the future, or to other reincarnations, he’d always be by her side. His presence was like the final piece of the puzzle that had been put into place.

Tenten dreamed of them talking to one another as if they’ve known each other so well. She had been dreaming about him for over a year that they’ve been put in the same team together. Tenten loved these dreams because these were intimately her’s. Her dreams of the slight brush of their skin as they passed by each other to the intense loving gaze they reciprocate, has caused her to develop a bittersweet love she hadn’t ever thought of growing for her comrade in the real world.

And every time Tenten awoke from those dreams, a pain swelled from her chest. These dreams of their reincarnations were innocent, but they never ended well. He’d die suddenly, and she’d die without cause, exchanging the roles of their ultimate tragedy constantly through lifetimes. But death is a destiny everyone shared, and despite that horrid ending, those all too real feelings flourished in her dreams and spilled into her genuine love for her teammate and friend.

She was a seer and these visions and dreams were no coincidences. Perhaps it was true that Tenten was fated to love Neji. She just didn’t know why it had to be him. Tenten knew that all of these amalgamations had to do with every past lifetime she’s lived. They all shared the same body, sometimes she’d be a man and sometimes not. But the similarities were always there. She’d always find herself with someone like him, like Neji. His pearly eyes with lavender hints and washed grey and blue hues were indistinguishable in any lifetime. If it were not for her desire to become stronger and be recognized, she would have succeeded with her visual prowess in fortune-telling.

The seer had fallen in love with a man who did not know of their long shared history. From life to life, Tenten saw how clearly they were meant to be, regardless of their forbidden love. No matter how much she wished to dream that they’ve finally come together as one, their tragedy was always inevitable; their love was somehow, always cut short. Tenten loved Neji, but she’d concluded that in this life, they must also end in tragedy. They were two soulmates that could never be together. Their love, overgrown and forbidden, must have been stretched from each reincarnation. Perhaps that was their punishment. Tenten saw the beginning that sprouted their never-ending limbo: a celestial that fell in love with a human. It was a crime that plagued the shinobi world to never find peace.

Tenten opened her eyes to a white window. The winter came by relentlessly this year. It snowed a lot and Lee stopped hanging out with her for a while to take care of Gai-sensei. Gai-sensei returned home in a wheelchair a week ago but Neji wasn’t there. Previously, they all agreed to stock up Gai-sensei’s fridge when he returned together, but it never happened. Shops were barely open due to the freezing weather and Lee hadn’t had the time to spar with her out in the cold.

Tenten sat up and felt the urge to open her balcony doors. She had a very unsettling dream and wanted to breathe fresh air. She had a dream of Neji again, this time, it was the same dream she’s had countless times before. Tenten unlocked the hatch and pushed the glass doors open, sweeping collected snow on her balcony away. She looked from right to left, seeing a white blanket of snow perched on every roof. The sun came up, but she couldn’t see it. The village was covered in a misty fog for the morning. The icy winter air pinched her skin much like the pesky recurring dream.

She dreamed of this dream she had a long time ago. Vividly, she saw Neji thrust himself in front of Naruto and Hinata, shielding them from a projectile he absolutely could have avoided. Tenten knew that he should’ve died right then and there but she insisted that he live. She didn’t want him to die just yet. Tenten purposefully planted an absorbance seal on his shinobi jacket, making it activate the moment the wooden projectile bypassed the chakra barrier she entrapped onto the seal. Tenten sealed within the paper, a weapon of her own. She’d always wanted to create her own weapon and she believed now would be the best time to put her weapon to use. It was one of the twenty Lotus of Sun Wen petals that she forged. Tenten wasn’t ready to see him die, especially not after making the promise to see each other again after the war.

When the chakra barrier activated, Tenten was in the midst of evading the same wooden projectiles when she felt a huge portion of her chakra deplete from her body. She collapsed underneath the rubble and all that she saw within her mind was complete darkness. Tenten remembered that initial feeling of floating in the air against nothing but black until a white light emitted to her vision. It resembled that of her visions in her dreams, a seer’s vision. Tenten saw multiple alternate universes colliding and collapsing, smashing and mixing with one another. It revealed to her so many different outcomes she hadn’t seen, from her and Neji being struck with the projectile, from just her being hit with the projectile, and seeing the same outcome of him being hit through the chest, Tenten was speechless at what she saw. A vision so incomprehensible as this never appeared until now.

Tenten walked back into her room and closed the glass doors. In her recurring dream, he kept dying in that exact moment. She cried because she saw what became of her when he died. In that alternate universe where he sacrificed himself, she couldn’t say anything. He wouldn’t be able to hear her anymore. It was only when she walked away did she shed a tear, murmuring how much she couldn’t forgive him. A dream like this hurts more because it could have happened, and Tenten couldn’t do anything to stop dreaming about it.

In fact, it was the only thing she could dream for a while now regarding him. No longer could Tenten dream of his future beyond the war. It was as if she couldn’t pass that point in time. Her dreams of him froze as if time had stopped tracking his life. Tenten couldn’t tell his future anymore, and she couldn’t see her own future either. She feared that her choice to interfere with fate caused an unstable rift in time that altered her abilities. Despite that, Tenten still strongly believed that they’d meet again in the next life; they were bound to do so. With his uncle barring her from seeing him for now, she supposed this was the outcome that was meant to be. Tenten readied herself for a chilly morning jog, dispersing those bothersome thoughts.

* * *

 

The creation of the Lotus of Sun Wen was a weapon she began to perfect just a few years ago. Tenten had started making her own ultimate weapon after she went on a mission with Lee shortly after becoming Chuunin. The Lotus of Sun Wen was something Lee pointed out on their mission to the Land of Waves. He told her he’d pick a lotus befitting for her and Neji, even though Neji was on his own mission. They both sat by the edge of the lake watching the calm waves move the lotuses in a mild manner. The evening sun gleamed an orange hue across the scenery, blanketing the lake in a gold bath. They stopped by the Land of Waves’ infamous Lake of A Thousand Lotuses. It was a beautiful place, and she wished all three of them would return there one day. “Gai-sensei has a love for lotuses and I guess I contracted it too,” Lee told her. His eyes gazing at the red flower he called his’.

Tenten watched along with him, immersed in trying to find a flower for herself too. “Say, which one is mine?” she asked him. Lotuses were beautiful on their own and she supposed Lee's obsession had gotten to her too.

Lee hummed and she watched as his curious eyes scanned the surface of the water for a viable candidate. “That one,” he told her, “the Lotus of Sun Wen.” Tenten looked onwards, seeing a lone lotus.

“Why is that?”

A sense of serenity came over him, “The Lotus of Sun Wen encompasses the purity that is you, someone filled with nothing but goodness and willingness to care and help others,” Lee pulled out a notepad he’d kept and Tenten peered into it, “you are the embodiment of rebirth, rejuvenation, and strength to others.” She glanced at Lee and smiled. She knew he was sincere, even if those words came from the paper and not him. Lee met her eyes and grinned from cheek to cheek.

“Then, what about you?” Tenten asked him. “What is the lotus you picked called?”

“The Red Lotus in Shuhong,” Lee flipped through his notes. “Seeing it in person is more satisfying than reading the description Gai-sensei told me-” he glanced at the flower and tried to sketch it down. “It’s the reddest lotus known to the shinobi world, sort of like my will of fire!”

Tenten scooted away and let him bask in his youth. She looked out to the lake and tried to find a lotus befitting Neji. “I wonder what Neji’s flower is,” she pondered.

Lee moved to her and shoved the notepad into her face, “I’ve chosen the White Lotus from Lushan for Neji,” he commended himself. She could see his scribbled drawing of the red flower on the backside of the notepad. “The lotus has about 100 petals, much like peeling the walls of Neji’s cold shell over the years,” he flipped the page to reveal more notes, “much like his upbringing, the flow represents his mental perfection, perhaps spiritual, I don’t know.” He stepped into the water to break them off.

“What are you doing?!” she shouted at him.

“Taking them home!” Lee ecstatically yelled back.

Tenten rushed to him and pulled him out of the water, “We can’t touch these flowers! If the Land of Waves finds out we’ll be toast!” Lee’s enthusiasm was crushed. “All three of us can come and admire them together sometime in the future, c’mon Lee the sun is going down.” She meant it when she told him they’d come visit this place again.

Memories filled with sweet nuances like these occupied her mind more these days when she’s frequently left to her own. Her footsteps plunged in the snow as she made it to their old training area by the front of the village gates. Perhaps, if she was a fortune teller, she’d probably be more notable than she was now. Tenten stared onward to the untouched blanket of snow. She took in a deep breath and began her morning jog.

Summoning just one petal from the massive Lotus of Sun Wen would destroy half of Konoha. The only way Tenten would be able to practice honing and perfecting this jutsu was to seal herself within the dimensional void only she could access. This place was where all of her weapons resided, waiting to be summoned. Tenten entered her dimensional void periodically, feeding her chakra to the massive lotus petals that make up the flower. That was the only way she’d be able to control the weapon at her will. It won’t be long until she could use it in battle.

There was another technique aside from the Lotus of Sun Wen that she’d been trying to incorporate. Carrying around scrolls in order to summon her items out was a troubling task. It took precious time to unravel although there was beauty in making it fly like dragons in the sky. Tenten believed she should limit the use of them, and instead opted to use her own body as a sealing vessel for her weapons. She’s never done anything like that in particular, nor had she seen anyone do it. The idea was simple, but it was more complicated than she’d imagine. Gai-sensei warned her not to pursue it, but it was too intriguing not to. Tenten theorized writing summation scriptures on her palms so that she’d be able to summon her weapons straight to her hands. She tried it after multiple failures spanning months of practice and was finally able to summon a mere kunai. Before she could confidently use it in battle, the war came. Tenten used Winter’s inactivity to try it again. This time, before the year was over, she gave it a name, “Weapon’s Cloak.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry about the slow update.


	23. A Long Winter to Come

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Winter comes slowly as Neji longed for the day Tenten would return. He finds out Hiashi has sent Hanri to sway him.

It was snowing. Neji first noticed it when a snowflake landed on his eyelashes. Not a day went by where he didn’t think about her. Her presence lingered even though it’s been weeks since she’s been here. Neji watched whiteness encompass his vision. He’d gone tired playing the gǔqín. Without her laughter, he couldn’t play a tune suitable to his ears. He listened to the wind blowing the snowflakes around. 

The first month of Winter went by cruelly. “What’s the weather like over there,” he thought, “in my memories, they keep talking to me.” Neji lost track of time, sitting by the engawa as his hair collected snowflakes, “When we were together, we laughed so much,” unbeknownst to him, his thoughts turned to whispers, attracting Hanri’s nimble ears. She leaned against the kitchen door frame, eavesdropping on the occupied man she was to love, “I miss you, I think about you every day, I really can’t stop.” Provoked by his yearning, he hurried to his feet. His bare soles plunged into the snow and he hurried to count the steps it took to leave his courtyard. “My heart is overflowing,” he clumsily staggered, “it wants to see you.” The icy frost punctured through his skin. He faltered, falling to his knees. 

His words poetically phrased, made Hanri’s heart quiver. The man that was to be her’s loved someone else. She could tell that his heart, his whole being belonged to the one he loved. Hanri felt sorrow too, even though it couldn’t compare to Neji’s. She wholeheartedly gave him her love for the time they were together. Hanri knew that such complicated feelings don’t sprout easily, but she wanted to shine through to him. Only an idiot would refuse the chance to become the wife of a proclaimed Hyuuga shinobi. “My heart is overflowing too,” she whispered after him. Hanri peeked at the man she loved and saw him walking in the snow. She panicked and scurried to him. “Neji-kun!” Hanri hurried and held his arm up. She refused to let him leave.

“Let go!” Neji yelled. This was not the time for her to come to him. Neji tried to shake off her grasp but she would not let go. Hanri teetered and fell backward at his harshness, yanking him down with her. Anger bursts through his veins and he immediately propped himself up. He’d fallen on top of her, much to his annoyance. Neji then felt a surge of chakra pour into his eyes; he felt his byakugan begin to activate. However, it didn’t, and instead, he was met with the crisp lines of Hanri’s pristine face. His eyesight came back.  _ “How convenient.” _

Hanri clung onto his waist as they both sat up. She held him in place as the snow began to melt and soak through their kimono, “Please don’t go, Neji-kun!” He heard her muffle, “You belong to me,” Neji’s eyes widen and he looked down at her, “I belong to you! I am your maiden!”

His hands rose up defensively, almost wanting to pry her off of him, but he didn't. Neji instead let his hands fall flat onto the snow, “What are you saying?” he asked her. “How can you be my maiden? I haven’t agreed to anything,” his words trailed off. Maidens were women betrothed to the head family. As far as Neji knew, the head member involved in this betrothal must also agree to the chosen maiden, but he never accepted anyone. His breaths shallowed as he anticipated her explanation. 

“Neiro-sama proposed me to be your woman!” Hanri’s breaths shuddered. Her tears wanted to fall. “My father has given me to you already-” she belted, tightening her grip on him, “and I’ve fallen in love with you!” Love was a simple affection to distinguish, Hanri knew from the moment she laid her eyes upon the gifted man. He was refined as a Hyuuga should, but too cold and distant to approach. Neji would never know of it, but almost every viable Hyuuga daughter Hanri knew wanted to become his wife. He was a prominent bachelor, but because of his aloofness, no one dared to show their endeavors. Hanri learned it from others on how to appease him. She took these lessons as a way to never annoy him. If they prodded him too much, would he ever look their way? Regardless, she was here, chosen as his maiden, vilifying her unrequited love to him in any way that she could. “Please don’t go,” she begged him once more, “I really do love you.” 

Neji felt nothing; he felt nothing but the numbness setting into his legs. The snow piled ankle high, and hearing her confession piled his thoughts lesser than before. He grasped her elbows wrapped at his sides, intending to pry them off of her, “You know nothing about love,” he emptily replied. How could this be love? How could the mere utterance of those three words signify that she truly held him to her heart? When in love, those words become forbidden and almost painful to say. Not because it meant something more for any two persons, it was because those words could kill. Not saying them could kill and saying them could kill. If he uttered them at the wrong time and place, they’d jeopardize everything. There were a time and place, a moment that must be shared to ever say those three words to anyone. Hanri didn’t know what love is; she didn’t know how sacred those words were to him. 

“I know love!” Hanri shouted. The many years she dreamed of to be his woman, that was love. Care and affection defined her kind of love for him. “Why can’t you see it?” she asked him desperately. Hanri lifted herself from his lap and her hold on him came down to her grip on his kimono. “Hearing you say you miss her hurts me-” her head lowered and she finally let her tears fall, “you’re not the only one in pain!” Neji stared at the woman he had met only once. He didn’t remember when, but it was around the time when he and Hinata had gotten on better terms. “How can you be so selfish to me?” Hanri pierced through his thoughts. “Why must you love someone who deserted you?!” she tugged on his kimono, “I’ve waited for you and I’m here for you, that’s love!”

Her grip on his kimono surely wrinkled the fabric. Neji encased both her hands with his own. She gasped at his touch, meeting his emotionless eyes. Neji moved her hold on him, “She didn’t desert me,” he blatantly told her, “if she could, she would’ve been here-” Hanri’s eye widen at his response, “and now I’m going to see her.” Neji stood up and headed back to his engawa to retrieve his geta. 

“Neji-kun,” she whispered breathlessly, “you can see?” Her shock came to no surprise. Hanri stood up and watched as he slipped on his shoes. She tucked a bundle of hair behind her ear. She was definitely sure that he could see, his demeanor changed and he confidently walked around unlike any other time. However, all that Hanri thought about was that this was his first time seeing her since several years. Their arguments were not done and she was not going to let him leave, “If you chase after her, danger will come her way,” she heaved. 

Neji glared at her from the corner of his eyes and stepped down the engawa to the snow. They were both freezing and she was shivering constantly. “You dare?” his tone turned dark. No one could ever have the guts to take Tenten from him, not if his heart continued to beat. 

Hanri’s breath shuddered as Neji made his menacing way toward her. She tried to warn him, to persuade him to stay. “Hiashi-sama said-” There was so palpable intent that she’d harm the woman he loved. Hanri shook her head, denying what she’d just say, “just don’t go-” 

Anger boiled in his chest; he was fuming. Neji stormed out of his compound heading straight toward his uncle’s place. Why would his uncle ever target the woman he loved? “Must I make it clear?!” His pace quickened. _ “If you wish to complain, come to me.” _ his uncle’s last words rang in his mind. Neji could hear Hanri following after him, she was bound to do so. His jaw tightened and his brows furrowed the closer he came to his uncle’s compound. Neji barged in, catching Hanabi and Hinata putting on their shinobi sandals. They were going out but he did not come to join them. “Hanabi-sama, Hinata-sama,” he greeted them urgently, “is Hiashi-sama available?” 

Hanabi’s eyes widen and she glanced at her older sister. Hinata too did the same. “Nii-san, have you regained your sight?” 

“Give me my answer!” Neji raised his voice at them. He couldn’t hold his anger back anymore and everything was ticking him off. 

“Father’s at the main hall,” Hanabi told him, “there is a meeting-” She looked at her cousin in astonishment. Never had he ever talked to her in such a way. With his answer, Neji stormed out of their compound with haste. At the gate, Hanri intercepted him, grabbing a hold of his arm. Hinata gasped, hearing her wails and begs. “Is that-” Hanabi watched at her cousin speedily yanked his arm away from the weeping woman, “Hanri?” 

Hanri fragile body fell to the ground. She met eyes with the Hyuuga sisters before collecting herself and chasing him again. Hinata bit her lips at the unsightly ordeal that has become her cousin, Neji. “Maybe we shouldn’t go out today, Hanabi,” she feared a dark storm would befall them if they left. 

Hanabi pressed her lips thinly and trudged through the snow, “What would Ino think if we don’t show up?” Hinata was struck with her sister’s question. “She purposefully came all the way here to invite us,” she followed after her little sister’s footsteps, “it’ll be rude not to.”


	24. Ground Rules

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji barges into a Hyuuga meeting in anger and demands to call off the clan's betrothal of Hanri to him. Desperate to see Tenten after regaining his eyesight, Neji goes out through the snow to find her.

The main hall wasn’t far from his uncle’s home. Neji kicked the collected snow as he made his way there. He couldn’t feel his feet anymore and his hands had turned red. This Winter was pitiless to him. Many things went his way, but some came without yielding at all. The blunt wind thrashed snowflakes his way, tainting his kimono and his polished hair. Everything seemed so opulent to the eye, but even with a pure blanket of snow covering the unpleasantness, the unsightly deformity of the Hyuuga structure still laid low. Like a tyrant, Neji stepped onto the main hall’s engawa. His fury raged on, emerging from the deepest of his core.  

Neji slammed the door open, revealing a smaller group of about ten or twelve. Their heads snapped to him, unwelcoming his presence. “Have you no manners, Neji?” His uncle thundered. Just from the look in his eyes, Hiashi could tell his nephew had regained his sight.

He did not respond just yet, and instead took every step needed to bring himself to the heir. Elders sat at each side of his discourteous stride, their eyes followed his every move. Neji stood before his uncle, troubled with what to start with. He then kneeled to sit, hands situated high up by the junction of his hip and thigh, “I’ve come to protest,” he glared at his uncle, “just as you’ve incited, Hiashi-sama.”

A thunderous noise approached the main hall and everyone but Hiashi and Neji looked to the open door. Hanri stumbled to the engawa, falling to her knees, bowing to the elders within the room by the door before shuffling her way and situating herself behind Neji. She shivered, hissing the cold away with her head tilted down. She looked pitiful to the onlookers. 

A piercing silence permeated throughout the hall before someone closed the door, keeping the warm air inside. Neji’s crusted pale lips parted, “Am I not recognized as a head family member, Hiashi-sama?” he erupted. 

Hiashi’s eyes narrowed at his nephew’s ridiculous question, “You became a head member the moment you revealed the dojutsu,” he replied in a calmer manner. 

“Then explain why you sent a woman who calls herself my maiden,” he seethed. Neji’s fists shook and he gritted his teeth. “I have a say in choosing my maiden, don’t I?” His jaw tightened.

“You do-”

“Then why did you make arrangements without my consultation?!” his voice thundered throughout the room, making Hanri shudder. The elders present uneasily shifted in their seats. He hadn’t gotten used to being a head family member, but he knew the gist of what they could and couldn’t do. “I never asked for a betrothal-” Neji’s anger refused to subside. 

Hiashi closed his eyes at his nephew’s objection. With so many elders present, he did not know who to appease. Should he support his nephew? Or should he keep his duties and words to the elders? “Your affair with that woman is forbidden!” Hiashi’s mouth tasted sour whenever he spoke of Tenten. She had done nothing wrong but love the wrong person. 

Neji’s pupils dilated at his uncle’s bold remark. All that he could think about was her name, Tenten. It echoed constantly in his mind. He recalled now who the person was that intruded his home that night; that night was far away, but he still remembered it clearly. “It was you,” he spoke, holding on to the last of his respect for his uncle. Neji closed his eyes in pain. “You don’t know how much she means to me,” he whispered through his cold lips. 

“You are a head member now,” Hiashi looked at his nephew. The agony his nephew displayed in his face was enough to damn him to hell. “You must marry within the clan-”

His nephew shook his head slightly, disagreeing, “I don’t care about that ridiculous rule.” 

Neiro, who had been sitting idly moved his jaw, “Be wary of your words!” He glared at his only grandson, “We’ve broken several rules just to have you here-”

“I never asked for anything,” Neji blatantly blurted out his reply to him. Gone was his filter and his manners for the people he should regard highly. He opened his eyes and peered to his grandfather with gruesome eyes. Neji then glanced at his uncle, “I am going to marry  _ that woman _ -”

“Preposterous!” Neiro belted. “You either do as we say or be compelled-”

Hanri gasped at Neiro’s words. Neji snapped his head toward his grandfather’s threat and noted the woman behind him. Hanri was right about the warning of Tenten’s safety. He couldn’t control the erupting anger within himself. If anyone mentioned his woman again, he was afraid he won’t be able to keep his mind clear, “You dare manipulate me with the threat of danger to her life?” A devilish curve of his lips spilled to his grandfather. Neji’s heart throbbed like a time bomb. “If anyone dares to hurt her-” his eyes peered back to his uncle, “the clan can move along without the mukōgan for another millennium to come.”

Hiashi gritted his teeth at their failing plans. He wondered what could happen next if his nephew got his way. “That child-”

“That child has a name!” Neji roared. 

“You will marry Hanri and that’s final!” Hiashi rumbled. “You and Tenten are not to be! Not in this life, nor any other!”

Neji’s breath shuddered. His eyes turned dark. “What do you know?” he recollected himself and those thoughts of their failures in their past lives seeped into his mind. His uncle was right, but the man didn’t even know. Neji’s heart ached more than he could handle. He didn’t speak for a long while, and Hiashi believed that his nephew’s protests were done. Neji met eyes with his uncle once more. His words hurt because it was true. Their past lives didn’t end well, but Neji wanted to change that, “I will marry no one but her,” he breathed. 

His nephew’s words stung like a reopened wound. Why was he so persistent? Hiashi knew it was futile to keep it going longer, but for their sake, for his daughter’s sake, and for his nephew’s sake, he must continue on with the younger man’s protest. “That child knows her path well,” Hiashi solemnly replied to Neji. “She’s already uprooted herself from you, Neji,” he composed himself, “you must do the same and move on.” Hiashi lied to his nephew. “Could this excuse sway him?” he thought.

“No one but her,” Neji insisted, “I will marry no one but her,” he pressed on. He didn’t believe his uncle’s words one bit. At least, he didn’t want to believe it. At the back of his entangled mind, he always wondered why she never came to visit him again after that day. Was it true? Did she really distance herself from him? Did his confession become nothing? Neji wanted to see her more than before. He wanted to confirm who was correct: his uncle or himself. “Call off the betrothal,” he stood up to his feet and turned to leave.

“You won’t be able to marry her, Neji,” Hiashi pleaded to no avail. He knew it was pointless to even rebut. 

Neji stopped in his tracks and looked over his shoulder to his uncle, “Don’t expect a progeny if that is your final answer.” 

Neiro panicked and looked to his son. Hiashi glanced down in shame as the door slid closed. His nephew did not know how important it was for the clan to reproduce the Hyuuga subset dojutsu. He looked down to the frail woman they’ve all agreed upon to give to his nephew. Seeing the child shiver and whimper in front of him, Hiashi wondered if she would be strong enough to conceive a child for his nephew. “Hiashi-sama,” Hanri called to him. Her tears had frozen into glistering streams down her face. “What must I do now?”

Hiashi took in a deep breath. Their meeting agenda veered to a direction inconceivable. “For now,” he thought for a bit, “continue as you are. You’ve done nothing wrong.” Hanri bowed deeply before struggling to her feet. She took jerky steps backward before opening the doors to leave. Hiashi was completely exhausted. He knew this meeting would amend toward his nephew. 

Forget about all that just happened, Neji just wanted to see her. Tenten’s home was empty; he checked with his byakugan. Neji didn’t care that he was probably intruding in her privacy, but what could be known about it. When it came to her, their privacy was so discreet. He couldn’t find her anywhere. He checked the hospital to see if she’d be there with Gai-sensei, but he’d been discharged a while ago. 

And when he visited his teacher’s place, there was only Lee there to keep the old man company. Neji stayed there for a bit, watching the television with them for a while. However, his mind constantly thought about Tenten. He went to the fridge, trying to find the drink that Gai-sensei asked for. But when he opened it, he recalled his promise to her. It was their promise to restock their teacher’s fridge for when he came home. Neji glanced at Lee, who was preoccupied. He’s neglected his friend a whole lot. 

Neji handed Gai-sensei his drink and stood beside him watching the television continue its run of a martial arts soap opera. “Say, Lee,” he called to him. Lee glanced at him quickly before jotting down notes onto his notepad. Since it was snowing, this was their way of training. “Do you know where Tenten is?”

Lee hummed for a short while before shaking his head no, “I haven’t been able to train with Tenten for a long time due to the snow,” she puckered his lips, “if she’s not home then I’d probably guess she’s hanging out with Ino or Sakura.” 

“You look like you’ve a lot on your mind, Neji,” Gai-sensei was concerned now more than he should for the prodigy. Neji may be distant, but his face could never hide the distraught. “A lot has happened to you, my white lotus,” Gai nudged him, grinning widely. His students were like his children; he couldn’t help but be endeared with them, “You’ve done well, Neji.” Gai heard everything that rumored about his students. Though his care for them differed greatly, he valued them equally. To hear that his own beloved student saved over thousands of comrades in the battlefield made his heart bloom a springtime’s worth of blossom petals. 

“I should excuse myself now,” Neji brought up. “Thank you, Gai-sensei.”


	25. Flowers of Konoha

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sakura, Hinata, and Tenten go and hang out at Ino's place. After getting drunk, Sakura spills her worries and fears to them. Hinata asks Tenten to use her clairvoyance and look into her future. Shortly after, there is a knock on Ino's door.

“You’re wanted home, Hanabi-sama,” Tokuma appeared at Ino’s door. With the shinobi embargo, even he, a Tokubetsu Jonin had to sit still too. He, a branch member, had inherited the Hyuuga’s bloodline strongly. His skills were that of Hiro, maybe even more if not for his curse mark. 

Hanabi stood up from Ino’s tiny room and followed him, “Stay until you’re spent, Hinata,” she told her. Hanabi trailed behind her special training tutor. She wondered now, with Neji’s curse removal, if Tokuma wished to have his’ removed as well. 

Ino closed the door and stared at the remaining girls in her living room, “Do all Hyuuga men look like that?!” She blushed and hurried back to sit down. Ino invited them over for a short get-together. “Is he married, Hinata?” she selfishly asked. 

Hinata raised a brow at the peculiar question, “He is,” she told her, “All Hyuuga men are to be married by twenty-three-”

“How old is he?” Ino pressed.

Sakura gagged at the woman, “Gosh Ino let it drop.”

“He’s twenty-five, Ino,” Hinata replied. 

Ino sighed, falling back into the pillow cushions she hoarded. “I really want to have a boyfriend, now.” Tenten stared at the blonde woman for a couple of seconds before sipping her watered down sake. 

“I can’t believe you’re cooing over every guy you see, Ino,” Sakura picked up the remote and changed the channel. “Winter’s not even over and they’re already talking about spring and love and youth-”

Hinata glanced at Tenten for a while now. Tokuma quite resembled her cousin and she wondered if seeing the older jonin affected her friend or not. Hinata knew what went on regarding Neji. She only knew it because she pried it out of her own sister. Now that Hinata was not an heir anymore, she’d been shut out from familial affairs. She found it strange that she and Neji had switched places within the family hierarchy. Hinata expected that Tenten would show some emotion, any kind of emotion really, when Tokuma showed up. However, the kunoichi remained flat and unaffected. “Tenten-san-”

Tenten downed another sip of sake and puckered her lips, “It’s Tenten-chan to you miss,” she twirled a finger to the sky as Ino threw a paper ball into her lap. She glared at the love-deprived kunoichi before picking the receipt paper and throwing it into the trash can.

“Um, well, Tenten-chan,” Hinata corrected herself. Tenten tilted her head to her and smiled. 

“Ino do you still have that card game?” Sakura asked. The blonde woman groaned whilst getting up to search for it. Sakura smirked at Tenten and Hinata, “We are so gonna get wasted.”

Tenten smiled mischievously and nodded, “You were saying?”

Hinata glanced right back at her, “O-oh, well,” she didn’t know how to put it. “D-don’t you think Tokuma and Neji look alike?” She winced at her choice of words. Hinata didn’t want to imply anything at all. She only worried that what his father said to Hanabi was true. She didn’t want to believe that the woman her cousin loved had thrown away her feelings for him.  _ “Maybe it’s why she stopped visiting nii-san,” _ Hinata recalled what Hanabi shared to her. She twiddled with her fingers.

Ino slapped the card game onto the short-legged table, making the coy girl jump, “Oh Hinata,” she sat down nagging at the quiet woman as Sakura began to clear the table of wrappers and empty cans of sake. “I’d lie If I said Tokuma didn’t look like Neji.”

Tenten poured a bottle of sake into a shot glass and handed it to Hinata, “Ease up!” she timidly took the glass and raised it to her mouth, sipping on it little by little. Tenten scooted in toward the table as Ino opened the card game package. She noticed that Hinata was reluctant to join them. Perhaps her not answering the question must have hurt the shy woman. Tenten took in a deep breath, “There are nuances in Neji’s face that Tokuma doesn’t have,” she replied. Hinata looked up with wide eyes as Ino started shuffling the cards. “C’mon, Hinata,” Tenten prompted her to join them. Hinata blinked a couple of times and complied. She was never the person keen enough to read other people’s thoughts or feelings. That was her cousin’s ability. Hinata was disconsolate with Tenten’s answer. A pang sounded in her heart; she didn’t want to believe that Tenten truly abandoned her feelings for him.

Nuances, Tenten thought about the subtleties on Neji’s face. Under the evening sky, she pictured herself sitting beside him on his engawa. The image framed itself to her mind. She was thrown back to that scenery of just them toward the end of Autumn. His nuances, his features placated her mind to no end. Why must Hinata ask her such a question? Her hands played along with them, the card game that they gambled on, but her mind was occupied with him. “Ha! Drink up!” Sakura championed. Tenten broke out of her mindlessness and looked at the cards. She groaned and accepted the shot of sake from the pink-haired woman. 

Sakura raised a brow at Ino and they both smiled devilishly. After several failed attempts to invite Tenten to their hangouts, she finally came. They’ve planned to gouge information out from the kunoichi regarding her beloved interest when she gets beyond drunk, just like when she displayed so at the BBQ meetup a while back. Knowing more about her would definitely aid in their ongoing methods to have them confess to one another. “Play seriously, Tenten!” Ino cheered ecstatically. “Alright, shuffle up!”

It was bad, really bad. Sakura didn’t even know why they decided to play a card game of speed when they had a member belonging to the Konoha’s most agile team battling against them. Hinata too was cheating with her byakugan and it left her and Ino taking up almost all of the alcohol. Though they both may have the highest tolerance between the four of them, they were no match to the other two’s acquired shinobi assets. “Change the game?” Sakura suggested. She was getting tired from the alcohol. Tenten laughed and Ino groaned, throwing her cards onto the table. 

They ended up playing a drunker version of twenty-one whilst the sun went down. Sakura and Ino’s plan backfired more than they could mend. The roudyness died down with the sun as Ino laid her back into her hoard of pillows. Sakura flattened on the floor and she stared at the ceiling. She groaned and moaned out her displeasure at how the tables had turned. Sakura sighed loudly for a long time and tears befall her eyes. She then began to wail at the euphoria that long awaited her. “Sakura? Are you okay?” Tenten scooted to her side and propped her head on her lap. Hinata straightened her posture and turned the television volume low. She hated when someone cries because she too would cry. 

Ino turned her head to them, Tenten caressed her tenderly, “I’m just so thankful to be alive,” she mumbled through her cries, “the world is so cruel to us.” She wiped her tears, tugging on Hinata’s heartstrings, “I’m so afraid to start a family in this world, Tenten,” Sakura covered her eyes and continued to cry. She should be happy that Naruto and Sasuke, and everyone she cared about survived through the war, but the future was so vague. She didn’t want to ever fall in love blindly anymore. “Why am I crying?” she chuckled as her tears streamed down. 

“Idiot,” Ino spat. “You made Hinata cry.” Tenten and Sakura looked at the woman in question and she indeed was weeping alone. Simultaneously, they both held their hands out to her, and she shuffled to them. Hinata leaned on Tenten’s shoulder as she motherly caressed the younger ones. Ino looked to the only light on the ceiling; the kitchen’s luminescent white lights. 

She was like a light in the dark, always waiting for things to come her way. “I don’t think like that at all,” she softly said. Ino pointed her finger to the light, tracing its roundness, “it’s not good to be alone in this world.” She saw the light flicker; Ino didn’t want to give up her breath knowing there would be no one by her side. “It’s a scary world out there-” she let her arm flop to the floor, “that’s why its all the more important to start a family.” Sakura looked at the woman lying next to her. “I want to start a family, to come home every day knowing there’s someone who’s waiting for me,” she smiled weakly and looked at her three friends, “it gives me the strength to become stronger to protect them in this world.” 

“Ino,” Sakura murmured. She beckoned the blonde woman to join them. Ino rolled her eyes and laughed, “No I don’t need that,” she sat up, “I need a man!”

“Oh shut up,” Sakura gagged; she almost threw up with the contents in her stomach. Sakura gulped to stop the alcohol from exploding out of her mouth and Tenten immediately shoved her off. Hinata chuckled and wiped her tears away. 

Tenten pondered what Ino said. She wondered if fighting for a loved one would give her strength. However, Sakura was right too. Sakura was just like her: fearful of the shinobi world. Her mind drifted off so several places, mostly regarding Neji. Tenten wondered if she’d be strong enough to protect the ones she loved, especially him. No matter how futile the situation may be, could she be able to gain strength from that? 

Ino snapped her fingers at Tenten and she expelled out from her minor trance. “Are you awake?” She blinked a couple of times and nodded. “Gosh, are you still having those weird psychic visions?”

“Huh?” Hinata glanced at the older woman with curious eyes. “Oh, you mean my fortune telling?” They nodded, “I still do!”

Sakura gasped and light glimmered to her eyes, “Can you try on us again?” 

Tenten puckered her lips and shrugged, “I’ve lost my equipment a while ago, so no.” 

Hinata wondered when they did this together. She never knew Tenten had these powers before. “Say, Tenten-chan,” she caught her attention, “do you really have the power to see into the future?” 

“Of course!” Tenten grinned. “If I weren’t a shinobi, I’d be a successful traveling seer-”

Ino butted in with the last can of sake she bought. “It’s true!” 

“The last time Tenten looked into my future, she said I’d battle a puppet and win!” Sakura exclaimed. Hinata was taken aback at their enthusiasm. 

“It was Sasori,” Tenten pointed out.

“It was Sasori!” Sakura yelled livelily. Her giggles soon turned into full-on laughter. 

Hinata meekly smiled and glanced at Ino for her readings. Ino set the aluminum can down and sighed, “Tenten told me I’d take an interest in art and meet my soulmate,” she blew off steam and crushed the empty can, “like hell I’d like art!”

Tenten scrunched her nose and scratched her ear. “I mean, if you change your interests into art earlier, you’d meet your soulmate by now instead of sulking about not having a boyfriend-”

“Hey!” Ino threw the can at her and she easily flicked it away, laughing. 

Hinata felt desperate enough to ask. She grasped Tenten’s hand and held it tight. “Tenten-chan,” hopelessly called to her. Her head laid low and her heart shook. Tenten looked at her in confusion. 

“Hinata,” Sakura worried for her. Ino closed in on their circle to try an console the woman. 

“Are you okay?” Tenten patted Hinata’s hands before keeping her hand there to comfort her. 

It was now her turn to truly weep. Hinata did not know if it was due to the alcohol or if it was because of her weak heart, but she couldn’t help but cry. “Please, read my future,” she pleaded. Her heart was aching. Hinata choked on her tears and raised Tenten’s hands to her lowered forehead, “I ask for your favor, Tenten.” All that she worried about from day to day was about the boy whom she admired for a long time. She wondered if he was eating well, if he was smiling often, or if he was happy. Hinata’s heart and mind thought about him only. There were so many times she wished to be there for him to protect him. It wasn’t about seeing if she’d be with him in the end. No, Hinata didn’t care for that. She wanted to see if she’d be able to live long enough to see him prosper. “Will I live long enough to see Naruto reach his dreams?” she asked Tenten. Her words choked incoherently and her tears fell on her savior’s hand. 

Hinata’s question sat heavily within their cores. Sakura had cried enough and she wanted to hold back her tears. The question hit her too hard. She wondered if she’ll live long enough to do the same, maybe even see Sasuke prosper too. Sakura hadn’t thought about Sasuke much after the war was over. Even with him so close to her now being back in the village, he had become a person she hardly knew. All those feelings she selfishly gave to him severed with every realization that she was too brash about giving away her love. Nonetheless, she wished she’d live long enough to see him truly happy. 

Ino pulled her knees to her chest, lingering on Hinata’s terrible words. She buried her eyes in her forearms and silently cried sour tears. She’s lived long enough to witness the death of her teacher and her father. She dwelled in the same agony the day after the war ended. Ino’s breaths shuddered and she thought about Shikamaru as well. They both couldn’t recover their fathers’ bodies to see them one last time. Would she live long enough to see the goodness that the world had to offer? Would she be there to send Shikamaru and Chouji off in their marriage? Ino lifted her head and wiped her tears away. She took in a deep breath and looked to Tenten. 

Tenten removed her hand from the younger woman’s grasp and caressed her head. Hinata lowered her head even more and her silent cries turned to whimpers. “Don’t cry,” she patted the woman’s shoulder. Tenten dwelled on her words in that moment. She felt a little piece of her die when she came to the conclusion that she won’t be able to see Neji’s future. She of all people, couldn’t see her own future. “I will try, so don’t cry.” 

She situated herself at Hinata’s back. It had been a long time since she’s looked into someone’s life. Her sacred items consisting of bells, prayer beads, and amulets were lost during Pein’s invasion. Tenten closed her eyes, vying for silence to enter a trance. She substituted the prayer beads with her arm extending out to the woman. That was her connection to Hinata’s existence. Without her amulets, she feared she might hurt herself in the process of retrieving the information in question. There won’t be bells hanging on her prayer beads to wake her from her trance if she felt a disturbance. But because of Hinata’s earnesty, Tenten was willing to tempt her safety. Tenten gently placed her palms onto Hinata’s shoulder blades and allowed herself to be engulfed in the darkness. 

A screeching noise drowned her left ear and moved to her right ear. She was at the gates of destiny and it opened to her. Tenten held her breath and passed through the gates. Her feet rippled through the glass reflection of water and approached a field of thick fog. She exhaled a breath, casting a gust of heavenly wind to flush out the fog. She squinted, waiting for the image she wanted to appear. Tenten mustn’t look back to the gate, or she’ll forever be stuck in a trance. She wished her amulets were here to force her to look inward. It was so tempting to try and peek behind her. With the fog gone, the clear water that reflected her reflection turned black. This was her cue to succumb to Hinata’s future. Tenten’s toes plunged through the dark water, and she immediately descended into it. The other side of the dark water was a world of the future, Hinata’s future. She brought the world closer to her face and searched for Hinata’s concern. Tenten fast forwards the time of that future now that she saw where Hinata was. She stopped the time when she found them, the whiskered man Hinata loved. They held hands so tenderly that it melted her heart.  _ “A bright day of rejoice,” _ she continued to look onward,  _ “at one’s elbows, tied the string of fate.” _

Ino and Sakura listened to Tenten’s whispers. They hurried to jot it down on paper for when Hinata exited her trance. Ino smiled from cheek to cheek and Sakura was filled with elation. They wondered what else would come next. 

Tenten watched over their delightful celebration. She had found her answer to Hinata’s worry and she was about to leave when she spotted a man far in the back of the courtyard. Tenten struggled back out of the water suspending her high above them _ “Nuances,” _ she whispered. Her heart beat erratically. She stretched her arm out to touch the man but felt only the knitted red strings emit through that image. Tenten cried out to him; she was sure that he was Neji. For a while now, she hadn’t been able to dream of him. If this was him, in the future of Hinata’s life, she could die right then and there from joy. Her eyes filled with tears and she waited for him to turn around. Suddenly, she froze; Tenten couldn’t move anymore. In an instant, she was ripped from the dark water and ejected from the gates of destiny. Tenten hadn’t closed the gates yet. If something were to follow her to the present, their lives would be in peril. In the last second, before she lost her trance, Tenten clasped her hands together, shutting the gates closed. She could see a figure staring at her. It’s pale skin and white hair clung onto the bars.

Tenten opened her eyes and saw nothing but Ino’s carpeted floor. “Tenten, wake up!” She lifted her head and saw Hinata’s overwhelmingly concerned face. Behind her was Sakura pulling her up to sit after making her lean forward. Ino held an abundance of tissues to her nose. “Are you okay?!” Ino asked her. 

“Yeah,” she uttered, holding the tissue in place. 

“Blood started trickling down your nose!” Ino wailed, “thank god I was fast enough or my carpet would’ve been stained!”

Sakura scoffed at the blond woman, “Seriously, Ino?!”

“Ino-chan,” Hinata chimed in. 

Tenten began to cough severely and Sakura removed herself from holding her waist. She kneeled by Tenten’s side and tried to close the vein that erupted in her nose. Ino hurried and rubbed her back to relieve the coughs. “What happened?” Sakura asked her. 

She knew what happened; Tenten stretched her arm out and attempted to pull a string of fate. However, she couldn’t tell them what happened. “It’s probably because I didn’t have my sacred items with me,” she lied. Ino felt blue at her friend’s explanation. She supposed she shouldn’t ask for a reading. “Anyways,” Tenten said, “I was pulled out of my trance too fast and couldn’t bring back your answer, Hinata-”

“No, you did!” Sakura left from healing Tenten’s wound and grabbed the receipt of snacks Ino hadn’t thrown away. “Ino wrote what you said!” She eagerly showed it to Tenten. Tenten removed the bloodstained tissues from her nose; it no longer trickled blood. 

Ino wiped her nose clean as Tenten focused on reading and deciphering the words. “Your penmanship is poor, Ino.” Ino chuckled and rolled her eyes. “I don’t remember what I saw, but judging from these words, it must be good, Hinata,” Tenten took over Ino’s preoccupation with cleaning her nose and got up to the bathroom. 

Hinata read what was written on the wrinkled receipt and a meek smile came to her eyes. “If it’s good then,” Hinata rose to her feet and pulled Tenten to a tight hug after she came out of the bathroom, “thank you, Tenten-chan, I’m satisfied with the answer.” Tenten reciprocated the genuine hug, patting the young woman on the back.

“Well, well,” Sakura egged them to hurry up with the affection, “the night’s not over but our drinks are.”

“Let’s settle with Janken,” Ino suggested. Just as Tenten and Hinata sat back down to the floor to play the decisive game, Ino’s doorbell rang. Ino glanced at each of her friends, suspicious of who it could be. They all shrugged and she sluggishly got to her feet. This was her home after all. Ino swung the door open and almost choked.


	26. You and Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji finally finds Tenten at Ino's house in the middle of a snowy night. They share a momentous conversation to solidify their relationship.

Ino’s eyes widen at the guest standing by her door. The cold Winter air entered her home but she couldn’t care less. It was another Hyuuga; this time, the infamous Hyuuga Neji. She was flabbergasted at the amount of Hyuuga members showing up at her door. There were four today, more than all her life knowing Hinata. “Is Tenten here?” he asked. 

She blinked several times, dumbfounded at his pristine beauty. “T-tenten?” she clarified. Ino believed she had a thing for pale men. 

Tenten leaned forward, bypassing Hinata who was obstructing her view, “Hm?” 

“May I have a word with her?” Neji politely asked. 

Ino cleared her throat and then gulped. She definitely shouldn’t be ogling at someone else’s man. “Tenten,” she properly called her name. 

Tenten looked at Ino’s hand gesturing for her to come to the door. She gave Sakura a bamboozled look before using Hinata’s shoulder as support to stand up. Tenten peeked over Ino’s shoulder and her eyes locked on his face. She looked into his eyes, realizing he was following her every move. A profound amount of exhilaration overwhelmed her senses. It seemed to her that his eyesight had returned. Ino stepped away from the door and turned to the other two with a shocked face. Her face expressed nothing but a mix of elation and astonishment. She mouthed his name to them. Sakura squinted and shrugged. Hinata could only furrow her brows at Ino’s expressive demeanor. “Neji,” Tenten hushed through her lips. Ino met eyes with Sakura and they silently squealed. Hinata chuckled to herself at the other two’s amusing interaction. 

“Can you come out?” Neji asked her, his eyes never leaving her. He restrained himself from pulling her into an embrace. Why couldn’t she hurry to him? The sun had gone down and the temperature grew colder. He, dressed only in his kimono and geta, wanted to feel her warmth. 

Tenten nodded to him. She had told Hiashi that if he came to her, she wouldn’t hold back if he wanted to love her. Her hands left the doorknob until she recalled where she was. Seeing him had spun her mind incoherent. Tenten turned to Hinata, Sakura, and Ino, seeing them giggle and grin amongst themselves, “I’m gonna go buy the drinks,” she told them. 

Ino tittered and searched for Tenten’s bag. Sakura pulled her bag from under the short-legged table and handed it to Ino. She shoved the bag to Tenten’s hand and shooed her off. Tenten slipped into her shoes and looked to him. She followed him down the stairs as the icy wind pinched her nose and ears red. Ino gently closed the door, locked it and issued for them to spy on the two outside. Sakura shot up and Hinata calmly followed after Ino to the window. She pulled the blinds up and they all forced their faces through the tiny glass window. Their eyes followed the two persons down the stairs. “Ugh,” Ino sighed, “so romantic,” her voice trailed off. 

“Be quiet, Ino,” Sakura looked onwards. Indeed, it was romantic, but a prickly one at that in the frigid cold weather. Hinata anticipated what they’d do next. Her time spent here with Tenten proved that she willingly discarded her feelings for her cousin. She did not want it to be true at all. She sternly watched over them. The two had reached the end of the stairs. Sakura eagerly wanted something, anything to solidify their relationship, “Please, c’mon-” she pleaded, “anything.”

Ino snickered at Sakura’s turmoil, “Looks like we were making a fuss for no reason,” she commented as she looked down to them. Ino’s eyes widen and she gasped loudly. Sakura’s jaws dropped and she squealed in elation. Hinata didn’t want to celebrate just yet. After a few seconds though, she simpered. Ino screamed in the highest pitch she could manage. Their plans of confession would have to go to Shikamaru now. 

Neji stopped in his tracks and turned to her. Tenten immediately halted and glanced at him. His expression hadn’t changed as he continued to stare at her with harsh eyes. Before she could do anything else, Neji pulled her into an embrace. She huffed a vapor of warm air into the cold atmosphere. This was their first genuine hug, longing for each other. Tenten’s lips quiver against the freezing weather. He was cold to her touch as she brought her arms up to reciprocate his embrace. From afar, she could hear muffled screams from above, “They can see us,” she timidly spoke to him.

Her warmth radiated to his frozen body. He searched for her onto to no end and finally found her. “Let them look,” he quietly told her, “I missed you,” he desperately clung to her, never wanting to let go. Neji buried his icy face to the depth of her shoulder and breathed in her scent. Their departure felt like a thousand years drawn to a close. Neji felt her rub his back, letting her touch seep into his skin. 

“Why did you come out like this?” she asked him. 

She shouldn’t be the one to question him. It wasn’t important to him. Neji gripped her padded shirt tightly, “You said you’d return tomorrow,” his words jabbed to her heart. She never forgot her last words to him that night. Neji’s husky voice pried her distant heart, “you left me waiting for a month─ it felt like a year had gone by, Tenten.” Tenten closed her eyes and let her collected tears fall. His words hurt her, but she knew she hurt him the most. “The Winter prolonged with each day you left me,” he whispered to her. His pent up sorrow spilled to her, “You were my eyes, losing you was like losing my will to live.” 

Tenten let out a miserable sigh before breath holding spells accompanied her cries, “I’m sorry, Neji.” She pulled him away but her hands held his collared kimono close to her. Tenten couldn’t look at him without tearing even more. She lowered her head and let her tears stop. “Let’s go somewhere warm,” she finally met his gleaming eyes. Neji took her hand in his’ and guided her away from Ino’s place. 

“How long should we wait for our drinks?” Ino pointed out. She looked to Sakura and Sakura glanced at Hinata. “What do we do now?” 

The short-legged bench they claimed as theirs from their genin days were equipped with heaters some time ago. They sat beside one another as a post lamp emitted the narrow pedestrian walkway. Tenten set the bottles of sake on the snow. A long time had passed since they’ve returned to this bench. Neji wondered how many times this place had been revamped. He barely recognized it now. They rarely sat so close to one another but he found it to be completely normal. With just her by his side, he finally felt the piercing cold eat at his skin. 

Her head leaned on his shoulder, all her weight, she gave to him, and he basked in the serenity that was her. “I missed you too,” she finally said. Their fingers interlocked for the moment they were together. Tenten found it funny that they’ve never held hands but almost shared a kiss. With him beside her, her heart was calm. Soon, they would have to part for the night. “That night,” she softly recovered, “even though you didn’t say anything-” Tenten gripped his hand tighter, her heart was content, “I knew that you meant it, with every inch of your touch, I knew we felt the same.” She stared at the buried potted plant across from them. Spring would come soon and the plant would bloom once more. 

Neji shifted his hand from her’s and wrapped his arm around her. “You feel the same way as I do,” he hushed, “but you never returned to me.” He reminisced in that bitterness. Neji waited for her all day but she never came. The morning may have been clear of rain, but the evening cried spells of showers all throughout the night. She never returned as she said. 

“I didn't come because I couldn't,” she nudged herself closer to him. Hiashi’s words rang to her ears, “because I am forbidden to love you.” She supposed this was their barrier. Loving each other would bring misfortune and she knew it well. “Neji,” her heart hurt to say his name. Tenten pulled herself from him and looked into his eyes, “Do you think that love can pass through time?” Her tearful eyes gazed into his own. She wondered when he would hear her call him again. 

She should have never said those words to him. Neji thought only he knew of their unfortunate fate. He held onto her hands tightly and his expression turned cold. “Ours do,” he softly told her. Neji’s heart ached when he thought about it. He couldn’t see the future to tell her that it would be okay, to console her and reassure her that they would be together in this life. Neji hadn’t cried in a while but his eyes teared up just looking at her. He did not want to let their love in this life go to waste. If he lose her now, he would have to forget these memories of her and wait again for the next life. “But we can make it work this time,” he told her. Tenten’s tears fell like dewdrops. She wanted it to be true so much. She wanted to do as Ino said, she wanted to come home to him, to be his strength. She wanted to see him prosper as Hinata said. “We don’t have to wait for the next life to come together,” he brushed her tears from her cheek. 

“You knew?” her voice broke into pieces. Tenten’s tears fell constantly without pause. Knowing that they both knew of their demise gave her closure, but it also crushed her heart as well. She thought she was the only who knew of this. 

Neji nodded faintly and pulled her to his chest. She wept in his arms holding onto him tightly. Neji closed his eyes and wallowed in their sorrow. Even though he told her that he wanted to make them become one in this life, he wasn’t even slightly confident that he’ll be able to see through to the end. 

Tenten feared that what he said won’t be true because she couldn’t see their future anymore. She wanted to believe him so much but she knew it was pointless to do so. She wept in his arms for a long while, unable to stop thinking of losing him in this life. Loving him in this life was futile but she couldn’t help doing so. She’d have to lose these gentle memories of him in this body when she died and start again in the next life. Tenten wondered when the end to their fate would come. She swallowed the lump in her throat and settled her cries. If they knew of this tragedy, would it hurt more to end their love or continue on? Tenten cocked her head to look into his eyes. She’s reached her conclusion to them, “Neji,” she called to him. He glanced down to her, “It’s meant to be this way.” 

“This is the only way,” he followed after her words. Neji knew the moment his uncle said it that he wouldn’t be able to marry her. She was right, this was the only path for them now. “Do you regret it at all?” he asked her genuinely. Neji felt her redden cheeks, “do you regret loving me?” Tenten shook her head no. 

His words tugged at her heartstrings, ripping them from her savagely. She couldn’t speak to him for fear of breaking into another cry. Nevertheless, her tears streamed down. She didn’t regret loving him at all. His touch on her cheek warmed and resolved her. From this point on, she wanted to love him as much as before. “Let’s not hide us anymore,” she managed to calmly say it to him. “Like before-” her hand cupped his hand that cradled her cheek, “let’s always be there for each other and grow stronger together.”

“Our encounter,” he lamented, “it is predestined in our previous lifetime.” His tears finally fell. He too accepted their fate for this life. It was too cruel to them, preventing them from becoming one. If she wanted to live her life like before, if she wanted to revert them back to just being comrades, he wouldn’t mind. They knew how each other felt, there was no hiding it anymore. Neji would openly love her. To him, she was all he desired. It mattered no more if she didn’t become his wife and he couldn’t become her husband. All that he cared was loving her until his last breath. “Undo the most mysterious wait of mine,” he gingerly spoke to her, “believe in my unwavering sincerity— we will never speak of what might be in this lifetime, but with you as my bell, I will never wait to find you.”

Neji leaned into her and it felt as if this time, the world finally stopped for them. The snowfall slowed and floated in mid-air. He closed his eyes, letting the last of his grieving tears fall to her cheeks. He captured her lips for the first time. Neji wondered when their last kiss would be. If the world ended now, he wouldn’t mind succumbing to his demise. His chaste kiss turned to passion, savoring her lips, fearing that it’ll be the last time. And when they parted, he asked why their strings of fate couldn’t be tied. Somewhere along the way, if they’ve made a mistake, could they not have fixed it? 

They should be happy to have resolved their confessions, but they weren’t. How could they easily smile knowing they’d have to wait another lifetime to become one? Tenten leaned her head onto his shoulder once more. She prayed to have more chances to lean against him for a long time. “Promise me that when this life is over and we meet again,” she spoke matter-of-factly to him, “we can put everything in the past and stand by each other.” She stared at the potted plant again, wishing it stayed frozen for them. 

He intertwined their fingers once more for the last time of the night, “You have my promise,” Neji brought her hand to his lips and pressed it briefly to his lips. “No matter how much time passes, I will never let you go.” He let his eyelids flutter; this was his bliss to be beside her. He would love her to no end even if he knew the consequences. “Let us pass through time without yielding,” he requested from existence. He hadn’t loved her enough in this life and asked for their love’s safe passage through a lifetime. Neji parted from her leaning on his shoulder and met her puffy eyes. He looked meaningfully into her eyes and finally gave a pure smile just for her, “You’re a gift upon this exhausting life.” Neji chuckled at her brightened face, “I will treasure you until we’re no more.”

She grinned and concurred, “So will I.” They stayed there on the bench momentarily before it was time to depart. Others were waiting for them, at least, that was what they’d like to think. From afar, they both sensed three cunning shinobi honing in on their intimate night. However, Neji and Tenten didn’t care. 

“We should get going,” he told her. “They must be waiting for you.” As much as it hurt to part, he must let her go for the night. 

“Neji,” she said his name for the sake of saying it. His eyes lit up at her delightful demeanor, “even though I can’t see into our future anymore, I’m confident that we won’t let each other down.” Tenten grabbed the bag of bottles sitting in the snow and they both stood up. 

Neji tilted his head to her and raised a brow, “You still read fortune?” 

She sniffed and nodded, “I used to dream and see us, but these days I no longer see you nor me going forward into the future.”

“Why is that?” He held her hand and they both walked back to Ino’s home. 

“Maybe my divine touch is dull,” she lied to him. She did not want to tell him that she possibly could have altered their future, thus angering the celestial that gave her her abilities. 

Neji purposefully walked slowly to prolong his time with her. “We won’t need it anymore if we have each other,” he told her. It wasn’t long until they reached the stairsteps of Ino’s home. The night cascaded over them in a dark gray matter. The moon wouldn’t appear on a night like this. Why was he so fearful of letting her go? Neji felt her hand leave his grasp and he panicked, “Tenten,” he called to her. She glanced at him and smiled, “do you want to stock up Gai-sensei’s fridge tomorrow?” 

Tenten’s meek smile grew and a new kind of warmth bloomed into her chest, “Sure!” she gleefully replied to him. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Neji,” she slipped from his grasp as he reluctantly let go. “I mean it this time,” she replied as she walked up the stairs. Neji watched her go and chuckled afterward. 


	27. Tears for Her Brother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Returning home after sending Tenten back to Ino's house, Hiashi tells Neji that the elders are unhappy with his actions during the meeting earlier that day. Hiashi informs Neji that tomorrow, his grandfather will hold a meeting to discuss Neji's betrothal. 
> 
> Hinata wakes up to Hanabi by her door the next day after hanging out at Ino's place. She is wanted at the meeting for Neji's betrothal. After attending, she finds out that her grandfather proposes her cousin take her as his maiden and she breaks loose.

They shouldn’t have left the comfort and warmth of Ino’s home to spy on her cousin and Tenten. All night yesterday, a heavy weight pulled Hinata down from the entertainment of her friends. She shouldn’t have eavesdropped on their conversation last night. Hinata didn’t understand how Sakura and Ino could continue to party on knowing what they heard from the other two’s intimate conversation. She sat up from the grogginess the alcohol took on her yesterday night. They all escorted her back home safely. Hinata sighed deeply. She knew Neji knew that they were eavesdropping on them. She was sure Tenten knew as well, but why didn’t they say anything? A shadow walked to the paper door in front of her, “Hinata?” It was her sister. 

“Y-yes?” she replied. This was out of the norm for Hanabi to come to her so early into the morning. 

“Father urgently requests an audience.” 

Hinata gasped and hurried to her feet. “Yes,” she answered. She knew they shouldn’t have left home yesterday when Neji barged into their courtyard. Having Hanabi leave the little night-out with the other kunoichi was alarming enough. Hinata wondered why she didn’t leave with her sister when Tokuma came to fetch her. She readied herself, removing the alcoholic stench that plagued her clothes. Even without Hanabi telling where the meeting was, Hinata knew that it must be in the confines of the Southeast Hall. She plunged her feet into the undisturbed snow that collected yesterday and shuffled her way to the place of the meeting. 

The building stood more grander than before. The last time she was here, it was her cousin’s beautiful day. But today, the building gloom heavy with animosity. She approached the door, having them opened for her. Hinata did not want to look inside. She didn’t want to face the crowd just yet. An unsettling feeling sat in her stomach. Nonetheless, she bowed to the ground at the door and finally raised her head to witness the members who came. Her eyes, bewildered, stared at the back of her cousin sitting in the middle of the aisle as silence befell them. Hinata hurried to her feet to sit. The empty cushion where her cousin belonged to remained in solitude. 

Her eyes focused only on her cousin sitting in front of her. The crowd had doubled since last time. Did something happen yesterday when she left to Ino’s house? Did Neji do something unprecedented? Hinata did not know.

* * *

 

Neji walked back home alone with a profound sense of satisfaction. He trudged aimlessly through the walkways making his way back home. He was content with Tenten and their confession. Perhaps she was right about their tragedy. Neji looked to the falling snow in the sky; he was content with just loving her as they were now. The taste of her lips made him drunk just thinking about it. He placed a hand to his heart; he knew that they had a long way to go but for her, he was willing to endure the hardships. Neji approached his gate. Walking into his home in the dark of night, his uncle had been waiting for him. 

How should he act? Neji was undecided. He should be angry at his uncle, but with Tenten’s resolve and their undying promise, he had lost all the resentment. Neji approached him, bowing slightly to acknowledge him, “Hiashi-sama.” His uncle wouldn’t say a thing, “Are you here to scold me?” Neji was far too old to be scolded, but he was still at the mercy of his uncle. As long as he remained a Hyuuga, there would never be a day where he couldn’t abide by the rules. 

“You’re not going to invite me in?” his uncle asked him. 

Neji was struck with the odd, softer-tone of his uncle. Where were his manners? He shifted to his home, “Please,” he invited his uncle to the unlit tea room. Neji switched the light on as his uncle followed after him. It must have been the next day already, but the darkness of the night hadn’t left. “I hadn’t known you’d be waiting,” he resumed his politeness, “my apologies.” No sane person would forget what happened today in the main hall. The incident weighed on his shoulders as they sat down on the cushions. 

Hiashi had a grimace on his face. His wrongs, he hoped he could make it clear to his nephew. Shortly after his nephew stormed out of the main hall, he dismissed the meeting. His father wanted to implement a meeting for tomorrow, but he ignored that. Hiashi wanted to be alone in that instance. He knew he had hurt his only nephew. He believed he was doing everything the elders said for his nephew’s own good. Hiashi still believed that there were good intentions for what he did, but they were poorly executed. If the elders don’t have a say in strengthening the mukōgan, the feud would never end. “Neji,” his nephew’s name bittered his tongue. He never knew how difficult it was to admit a wrong, “I want to apologize to you in regards to the precious child you cherish.” 

Neji was taken aback. He did not know that his uncle was here as the one who had done wrong. The wrong person was himself who was disobedient. “I forgive you, uncle.” He mustn’t hold his hatred to his uncle any longer. Neji may not know much about the duties of an heir, but he knew that any grievances and complaints of the Hyuuga clan would always be directed toward his uncle. If his uncle wanted to be understood, he was willing to hear it. “I want to apologize for my actions, acting so boldly and of my own volition that I’ve broken rules and disheartened my elders.” 

“Forget that,” Hiashi brushed his concerns away, “we all knew it was coming, we just didn’t know to what extent you’d take your anger for us to.” Neji lowered his head, shameful of what he did. Hiashi pressed his lips thinly at his nephew’s response. “You’re quite scary when you’re angry,” he told him. Neji chuckled at his uncle’s light-hearted comment. Hiashi smiled mildly before proceeding. 

“Thank you, uncle.”

Hiashi took in a deep breath and ushered to what he came here for. “The elders have pressured to find a suitable maiden for you since the congratulatory meeting a month ago,” Neji listened onward intently, “then, I believed it was right of me to choose the maiden for you.” Hiashi recalled what the elders and he thought of his nephew, “I believed that you were incapable of finding your own maiden, judging from your line of work and lack of experience courting others-” Neji gritted his teeth at the embarrassing tone of the conversation. “I was wrong.” 

“Surely, the elders must have believed the same,” Neji confirmed. 

His uncle nodded, “Perhaps I am still too traditional in our customs. I intended to come to you that night to have you give your opinion on the maiden selected for you.” Neji glanced at his uncle’s downcasted eyes, “instead I intruded upon your time with your beloved.” 

Neji parted his lips to forgive his uncle, but he believed it wasn’t enough, “We shouldn’t let the past hold us accountable, uncle,” Hiashi closed his eyes and Neji furrowed his brows, “I-”

“I feared that if you defied another custom of ours and marry your beloved, a calamity would cast upon our family-” Hiashi looked at Neji with stern eyes, “upon Hanabi, Hinata, and especially you.” His nephew’s eyes lit up at that mentioning of the unknown danger that would befall them. “Rashly, I made it known to the elders and sent Hanri to you,” Hiashi shook his head in disappointment to himself, “with my boldness, I couldn’t even tell you the whole truth then.” His eyes searched for any sight of the white bag that had the tabi socks his nephew’s beloved gave to him. “That gift,” he began. Neji raised a brow at his uncle’s vague specification, “They originally were given to me by that child.” 

Gift? Neji pondered that thought shortly. “The tabi socks?” he clarified. Hiashi nodded. He gave that gift to Hanri to give to his nephew. Hiashi wondered where the gift was. “Is that all you have to say?” Neji asked him. 

His uncle shook his head no, “You’ve made it clear to refuse Hanri as your maiden,” he met his nephew’s eyes, “and we’ve made it clear that you cannot marry outside the clan-”

“I’ve already said I won’t marry anyone unless its the one I cherish, Hiashi-sama,” Neji shouldn’t be riled up, but whenever anyone from his clan mentioned her, he always had an uneasy feeling gnawing at his chest. 

“I know,” Hiashi clarified. “The elders are unhappy,” Neji sulked, looking away to the ground. “They want the best for the clan after being decimated too many times, Neji-” he told him, “it will not end until they have it their way.” 

Neji already knew it was a situation he would not win, but he was ready to face it head-on. “I know,” he looked to his uncle again. “I’m prepared to confront it ‘til the end.” 

Hiashi sighed helplessly at the persistence displayed both ways. “Your grandfather will present a meeting again tomorrow at the Southwest Hall. He’s doubled the attendance to persuade you to cave into his demands.” He analyzed his nephew's concerned face, “Strengthen your will, you are like a son to me,” the last words flowed out of his mouth as if it were always meant to be. Neji’s ears perked as he was sure he heard his uncle correctly. Hiashi smiled widely and rose to his feet, “You are a son to meㄧ Tomorrow, I won’t be able to speak for you,” Neji hurried to his feet as well, “but I promise I will protect you from there on.” Neji’s heart wavered at his uncle’s words. “My brother left you to me, and until now, I can’t even say that I cared for you. You are my brother’s son, and you shall be my son from this moment forward.” Hiashi simpered, leaving Neji alone to rest. 

* * *

Neji was enraged with the demands his grandfather put onto him. “I deny this proposal, Neiro-sama,” he replied as level-headed as he could have. 

“Is it because you cannot choose?” Neiro questioned him, “surely, both Hinata and Hanabi are more suitable than Hanri-” It wasn’t that at all, Neji closed his eyes to swallow the annoyance from his face. Of course, his cousins would be good maidens, just not for him. He didn’t dare bring up Tenten’s name again since she was fine not being married to him. Neji was fine with it too for the trouble to make his elders accept their union was too arduous to even ask for. “Hanabi,” Neiro called to his granddaughter.

Hanabi broke through the shock that her grandfather proposed when she heard her name, “Yes, Neiro-sama.” She slightly bowed her head, feeling the watchful gaze of her father’s eyes on her. Hiashi stared at his daughter with hurtful eyes. He hated where the meeting was going, but how could he interfere with his father’s agenda.

“Fetch your sister.”

The silence that followed began the moment Neiro finished his command. For a mere second, Neji thought about welcoming the silence as a temporary peaceful moment but he knew better. He knew far better than anyone for what was to come next. We waited, they all waited for Hanabi to return with Hinata. And then they finally came, and the short silence that seemingly stretched beyond time halted. At the corner of his eyes, he saw both his cousins sit down to the seiza manner. He anticipated for what’s to come next. 

“Perhaps her presence will convince you,” Neiro connived. “Hanabi is not of the age yet, therefore I am going to ask you once more, Neji,” he stared at his grandson with menace. What more could his grandson deny? There was no possible way he was going to let his only grandson marry a mere commoner to taint the Hyuuga’s bloodline, especially with the mukōgan on the line. “Will you accept Hinata as your maiden?”

Hinata’s body froze and she felt her core shrink and curl. She couldn’t breathe at all when her grandfather’s proposal made an appearance. Summoning up her strength, she lifted her eyes to look at her grandfather. There was no doubt he was serious. She stared at her cousin, eyes wide and almost falling out.  _ “Why aren’t you saying anything?” _ Hinata thought. The expectations amass around the room and she knew that they were pressuring him to accept it. However, Hinata couldn’t say anything. She wasn’t supposed to say anything, but she wanted to scream at the injustice her grandfather was placing on their shoulders. She parted her mouth, her eyes intensely staring at her cousin’s refusal to respond. Could there be something for her to do? 

Neji finally opened his eyes to glance at Hinata. He wondered what she was thinking at the moment while he stalled the time. There was no particular reason to do so, but he did so anyway. When he met his cousin’s eyes, he wished she’d calm down. 

Her body began to minutely convulse, repulsed at her grandfather’s proposal and at Neji’s demeanor. Just yesterday, she found out her cousin’s love for Tenten, and now he’s-  _ “What are you thinking, brother?” _ her mind was filled with questions for him. 

_ “Marry either of your cousins, and I will allow that commoner to be your second wife. Choose against it and you will forfeit further activities beyond the clan,” _ Neiro’s threatening words wrangled Neji’s mind. He won’t marry either of his cousins just to have Tenten by his side nor would he sacrifice his shinobi life. Neji suspected some kind of threat would be coming, but he didn’t think it’ll actually be this hideous. If he chose against it, he’d completely lose contact with the woman he loved and all his friends. His lips parted to give his answer to his grandfather.

“Y-you can’t!” Hinata shouted. Her hands pressed hard against her heart and her eyes teared up. “H-how will Tenten feel-” 

Hiashi cut his daughter off, “Silence, Hinata.” Hanabi gasped at her sister’s eruption.

Neji’s mere glanced turned to a daunting glare. He shook his head, alarming her to hold her tongue. Hinata sighed desperately, refusing to hold back. She was sure now that Neji knew she heard everything he and Tenten talked about yesterday night but she couldn’t hold back her feelings over them. “Brother,” she pleaded to him, “you can’t accept this-”

She did not heed his words, but now Neji knew under what circumstances she was standing up for. Formerly, he believed her selfish love for Naruto came to her mind. The thought of not being with the blonde haired hero wasn’t the cause of her upheaval; it was because of Tenten and his words yesterday that brought about his cousin’s turmoil. None of these clan members needed to hear about their fate, and surely his cousin mustn’t be the one to break it out to them. “Hinata-sama-”

“Hinata!” Hinata corrected him, “you are my brother! You call me Hinata!”

“Take her out!” Hiashi announced.

Before she could do anything, hands were already on her arms, tugging her to go with them. Hinata did not want to go. Her cousin’s words with Tenten freshly occupied her mind. Had she completely lost her mind? Hinata threw away her composure and struggled against them, “Grandfather!” she yelled, surprising members of the meeting. 

Hanabi’s eyes widen, her demeanor remained unchanged on the outside, but she was trembling inside. “Don’t meddle in my affair-” Neji told her after being stunned with her pent up anger toward him. 

Hinata fell to the center of the meeting next to her cousin who just warned her not to speak of it. “You let me hear it,” her tears trailed down one after the other and she hurried to kneel to her grandfather. Neiro waved his hand once, dismissing the two members who were to escort his granddaughter out. “This isn’t right, brother-” She raised her head up, “you’ve suffered too much for me.” Hinata met eyes with her father and determination flamed in her eyes, “It’s time I save you too.”


	28. Trouble Inches Closer to Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji's refusal to answer his grandfather's demands causes his grandfather to summon Tenten to the meeting. His grandfather learns of Neji and Tenten's fate. Hinata reveals Tenten's clairvoyance and Hiashi prompts both of them to head to the mountain shrine to have their future read.

Whether their words were true or not, Hinata believed it. She was sure that they weren’t lying because she knew that what they had was genuine. Her heart ached because of it and it wasn’t just a ruse. “Speak, Hinata,” her grandfather ordered. 

What should she say? Hinata gulped and summoned her courage once more to execute this feat. Continuously, she recalled Tenten’s unresponsive face when Sakura began to cry. She remembered all of those conversations clearly. Tenten hadn’t shed a single tear when it came to wanting to start a family or fearing if she’d live long enough to see Neji reach his dreams. Hinata deduced from that moment on after Tenten returned with the drinks that it was because the older woman knew. The older woman knew that their love was inevitable to cry over trivial things. She was a seer who no longer saw her future but knew that her love could never follow through to the end. 

“What did you hear?” Neiro asked her. 

All this time, Neji turned his head toward his cousin. His fate was his privacy, and even though letting the clan members know wouldn’t make a difference, he still wanted to keep it for himself. “Hinata was drunk last night, it is imminent that she acts this way-”

“Neji-san-” Hinata interrupted him, “N-Neji-san— grandfather you’re igniting flames to us all!” Alas, she couldn’t say it. She was sure that Neji and Tenten’s love was true, but their words, those vague conversations of time and fate, she couldn’t piece them altogether. Hinata knew that something bad happened the day she left to go to the hang-out at Ino’s home. And suddenly, her cousin took Tenten out and said these things. She couldn’t comprehend back then about why Tenten cried so much in her cousin’s arms. Now she knew that it was inevitable for them to be married. That must be the reason why. Words that they said, that they’d meet in the next lifetime, Hinata believed that they’d both hurt themselves. She couldn’t sleep well at night as she dwelled on those thoughts. “Neji-san will kill himself if he can’t marry Tenten-”

Neji was bewildered at his cousin’s preposterous remarks. He snapped his head to Hinata, “You’re outrageous!” The hall clamored in audible gasps. 

Neiro, welled with the anger of his grandson’s words of suicide from the mouth of his granddaughter, threw his cane toward the both of them. It struck Neji’s abdomen and hit Hinata’s lap, “You dare commit a sinful act all because of that woman?!” Neiro shouted at Neji with all his fury. 

Neji was far more focused on his cousin to answer his grandfather, “I shouldn’t have let you hear it-”

“Please tell me it’s not true, brother,” Hinata hung her head low, letting her hair cover her face. She closed her eyes, yet her tears fell. 

“Are you not going to answer me?!” Neiro thundered. Hanabi tensed up her lips turned white. She’d never seen her grandfather be this flared. 

“I don’t dare!” Neji riled up at his grandfather. In just a flash, he realized he raised his voice to his elder. He regrettably couldn’t take it back now. “And,” he softened his voice to Hinata, “it’s not true.”

Hinata made him become a perpetrator. He never intended to do any of those things and now it seemed as though he really must clear the table. Suicide was a taboo, especially to the Hyuuga. With a stagnating clan population, killing oneself for selfishness not only went against the shinobi code, but it also broke the Hyuuga code. Neji couldn’t even imagine the number of branch members who would have taken their life because of their devalued status. 

Hiashi watched as Neji turned his head back to Neiro. He felt an unsettling feeling gnaw at the tip of his fingers. Hiashi curled his nails and dug them into his kimono. What did his daughter hear? “Reveal what you said yesterday night,” Neiro pressed. 

Neji ran his answer within his mind far too many times, “I don’t wish to share it.” 

Neiro took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. His grandchildren were too difficult to control. “Neji,” Neiro said. Saying his grandson’s name filled a void in his heart. He only wished Neji understood that everything decided and proposed was for his own good.

“I cannot discuss it, Neiro-sama,” Neji replied. 

“Must I pry your mouth?” 

Neji sighed, his eyes closed and pressed his lips thin. He’s never hated meetings so much. Tenten and his secret, the secret of their fate, he never wanted to let anyone know. It was burdensome enough, and spreading that vain would do no good. However, if he wanted any dignity left, he must comply with his grandfather and give an answer; it didn’t have to be the whole truth. “I confessed to my beloved,” he replied, “that is all.” 

Neiro’s eyes narrowed. He glanced back to his granddaughter, having an inkling that it was not the whole truth. Neiro suspected that a mere confession should have occurred long ago and not yesterday. How could their intimacy be brought forth before their confession? He tapped his index finger on his knee, contemplating the situation. “What words did you two share,” Neiro questioned him. 

Hiashi slightly raised a brow and moved his eyes to his child wiping her tears from her cheeks. His nephew was caught in a struggle and he feared their fight for the power to choose would talk all night. 

Neji remembered their words last night. He wished for them to be kept unknown for many years to come. Tenten and he hadn’t enough time to love one another in this life. Their promise couldn’t be undone so soon. “Why does it hurt so much to attain you,” he whispered to himself. He refused to answer his grandfather. 

“Hinata?” Neiro had given up on gaining an answer from his grandson. However, his granddaughter refused to utter a word. 

She was wrong; her cousin told her so. Could her distraction stray her grandfather far from the prospect of their marriage? Hinata didn’t want to speak for fear of having her cousin’s words misinterpreted again. She’s miscalculated her rambunctious mistake to let her emotions cloud her mind. 

Neiro’s jaw tightened and he grasped both his knees in impatience. “Send for the child whom Neji treasures.”

Neji’s eyes widen. He gulped at his grandfather’s bold request. “Neiro-sama-”

“In this instant!” Neiro shouted. Neji looked to his grandfather with eyes that worried. His grandfather looked straight back at him, “You wished not to speak, and I will grant you that wish.” There had never been a single time he knew of where an outsider was brought into a Hyuuga meeting. 

* * *

“This must be why you’re late,” her voice melted into his ear. Neji lamented in her presence. They said they’d go together today to stock of their teacher’s fridge, but he’d seemingly forgotten. Neji’s heart was in turmoil. He feared so much an ending that would separate them. He couldn’t even acknowledge her comment to him. 

Tenten sat far from Neji and Hinata in the middle of the aisle. She was afraid of the attendance, but not for why she was here. No one told her why she was summoned to the Hyuuga household, but she suspected it was because it had to do with Neji and her. It must be. All eyes bore to her skin and she could barely forward to see her beloved’s back. 

Neiro eyed the peculiar child’s modest clothing. She was too much of a commoner now that he laid his eyes upon her. Her amber eyes bore no specialty and her demeanor presented herself to be a careless child of a reckless manner. She was no good for his grandson for she embodied too much of a freed bird. “Tell me, child,” Neiro called upon her. Tenten glanced up to the old man sitting far in front of her. “Introduce yourself to me.”

She could see Neji’s head lower as if he was ashamed. Tenten parted her lips, she had nothing but transparency. “Tenten,” she began, “that is my name.”

“Surname?” Neiro asked. Hiashi closed his eyes in regret. 

Tenten’s pupils searched for her memories, “I— don’t have one,” she managed. 

Neiro sat back and scoffed at the idiocy, “A rootless child,” he confirmed. Neji gritted his teeth and his fists tightened. Tenten couldn’t feel embarrassed nor repulsed at the elder’s words. She’s heard words like these for a long time and it no longer affected her. Neiro chuckled and landed his eyes upon the child, “Do you know why you’re here, child?”

“There too many reasons that I can’t specify,” she told him. 

“You’re right,” Neiro concurred. “I brought you here particularly to do what my grandson couldn’t do.” Her eyes darted to Neji and then back to the elder; she waited for the instruction. Neiro watched her every move, “Tell me what word of exchange you’ve made to my grandson yesterday night.”

Tenten carefully let her eyes tread every subtle movement of Neji’s back. She shouldn’t hide it for they promised to love openly. “Yesterday night-”

Neji abruptly stood up and turned to her. He did not want her to say anything to them. Tenten was taken aback by his actions as he walked toward her. Neji took her hand and forced her to get up. He won’t stand anymore slander from his grandfather, “Let’s go.”

“Neji,” she reciprocated his grasp and tugged on his hand, “Would anything change if I say it now?” She glanced up to him. 

Neji’s cold orbs reflected back to her. He couldn’t believe he was succumbing to her choice. He stood beside her for a while and finally settled into a seiza next to her. He wouldn’t let go of her hand as his back faced his grandfather. 

Tenten resumed her nonchalant expression and looked to the elder. She didn’t know where to begin. “It is unbelievable to comprehend the magnitude of how formidable love is,” she simpered, “I still can’t understand why it must be us, but it is.”

Neiro raised a brow. Hiashi glanced at Tenten and his nephew. Neji held Tenten’s hand strongly. “Ambiguity does me no good, child,” Neiro told her. 

She merely nodded. “I make it known to you, my elder, that our love will never succeed in this lifetime,” Neji spoke on her behalf. Tenten turned her head to him and she felt his grasp on her soften. “I foresaw my demise,” he continued, “it is our destiny to repeat this never-ending cycle of never attaining each other from this life to the next.”

“Make it clear to me,” Neiro urged. He was beyond confused. What more beheld his grandson that he did not know?

Neji turned to Tenten, meeting her eyes genuinely now. “At first, I merely suspected that this must be what we have to endure, to fail to complete our affection whole-heartedly in one lifetime,” he spoke to her, “but when you asked me if love could pass through time, you’ve solidified my suspicions.” Tenten bit her lower lip and now was the one to hold onto him tightly. “Neiro-sama, believe it if you will, refuse it if you don’t-” he closed his eyes and turned his head back to face the exit doors, “but our bodies are merely vessels for divination beyond our control.”

What Neji said was absurd to Neiro. It all sounded as if that were their fate and it was no concern to him whether they became one or not. The outcome was the same regardless, and it was an outcome Neiro liked. If what his grandchild said was true, then it was utterly inevitable that they remain separated if they weren’t going to have a chance to be together. Neiro chuckled at their demise but found it intriguing.

“Tenten-san,” Hinata turned her body to her and faced her, “but you said you can see the future— surely you’ll be able to see your and brother’s future like you’ve seen mine, correct?” Hiashi’s eyes narrowed at his daughter’s question. He looked to Tenten, impressed with the child’s perceived capability. “You said you can’t see your future anymore, that is a lie isn’t it?”

“You can see through time?” Neiro raised a brow at the commoner. His curiosity spiked for people of such capability shouldn’t ever be wasted as a shinobi. Mediums of her capabilities were specifically kept as shrine-keepers, but how could she ever have these abilities if she did not have parents? 

Tenten nodded once to the elder, “I can.”

Neiro could see the sun moving across the sky. “How did you gain these powers?” Hanabi took in her grandfather’s rising curiosity for it rarely showed. 

“Since I was born, as I was told,” Tenten told him. “Hinata, I can’t see our future anymore.” She recalled the series of events leading to her losing sight of their future. “I did something I shouldn’t have.” 

Neji glanced to Tenten, “What did you do?” She wouldn’t say it. “You told me your powers dulled, is it not?”

“Neji,” she replied, “what difference does it make?”

“What did you do.”

Tenten sighed and relinquished her secret to him. “I— I saved you,” she confessed. Tenten gazed into his eyes, remembering these same orbs that stared right back at her, “When you jumped in front of Hinata and Naruto, you should have died there.” 

Neji slouched hearing her confession. He was brought back to that event where all of his regrets came flushing on at once. He didn’t want to die, he begged not to die when he jumped in front of them. He regretted not completing what he wanted to do, and because of her, he finally had a chance to achieve it. Neji found it too strenuous to wish Tenten never meddled with his death because he wanted to live to accept his feelings for her. Neji discovered his undeniable love for her at the cost of her supernatural sight. 

Hinata’s breaths shuddered and she shook her head in disbelief. Neji would have died for her and fulfilled his destiny for her and at the same time fulfill his shared fate with Tenten. She lowered her head in shame and tried not to cry. 

Hiashi recalled the giant lotus petal that summoned behind his nephew in the war. He could have lost his nephew and broken his promise to watch over him for his brother. Hiashi could not thank Tenten enough. 

“Well done, Tenten,” Neiro’s voice simmered throughout the hall. Other clan members did not know what to say. “But if this is your fate, and you both knew you both cannot be together, you let go of your grasp of my grandson.” Tenten’s hold on Neji soften. “It will do you both no good to let your feelings malinger.” Neiro glanced to Neji’s back and sighed, “My grandson has a role to fulfill— though your selfishness saved him once, it is hindering him now.”

Tenten gazed to Neji and he refused to look at her. Hiashi already told her she was no good for him but it was clear now how much trouble arose because of their love. She’d said before that the world was too cruel to them and it was apparent now how much the bearings were. Tenten let go of his hand and her heart shook. She could be strong now to let him go to set him free and let him thrive in the clan, but she knew she would regret doing so after he’s gone. 

Neji immediately interlocked her fingers, refusing to let her be swayed. Was their reason to love one another as much as they could enough to rebut his grandfather’s claim? Neji feared that he may have to lose this fight if Tenten chose his grandfather’s side. He fluttered his eyes open and glanced at his beloved. She no longer bore the same persistence he had. 

“Why must they suffer?” Hiashi finally broke out the silence that roamed around the hall. He wasn’t supposed to have a say at all in this meeting but his father was too unfair. “They are children thrust into the shinobi world,” Hiashi found all eyes on him except for his nephew. “Despite knowing their fate, you still can’t let them cherish what little time they have?” 

“Hiashi, you of all people know the customs better than anyone else,” Neiro scrutinized his son. “Yet you speak out of turn for a meeting you have no part of.” 

Hiashi rose to his feet, unable to bear the scrutiny put upon the child. “Get up you two,” he walked into the aisle and stood beside Neji, “get out of here.”

“You insolent child!” Neiro thundered upon Hiashi. 

“You may not be able to see your future,” Hiashi looked to Tenten, “but others can.” Neji pulled Tenten up and headed for the door. “We will follow after, head to the mountain shrine,” he ended. Hiashi watched as his nephew slid the door open, taking her away. He then directed his attention to his father who was furious. The attendance may not have said a word the whole time but Hiashi knew what they were thinking. The clan was breaking all over his nephew's ordeal and they did not like it one bit. “We shouldn’t jump to conclusions so readily,” he told Neiro, “let us see their impending future first before we compromise, Neiro-sama.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hyuuga politics sucks ass.   
> The reason why Hiashi can't dictate the flow of the meeting is that Neiro is the one controlling the meeting. 
> 
> Basically, the heir is there to protect and punish through the rules of the Hyuuga clan but the elderlies have more control over what decision is made.


	29. Winter Bleeds to Spring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tenten proposes a final resolve for Neji and her's situation after they get their future read by the shrine keeper.

Tenten yanked her hand from Neji’s grasp. They’ve only made it out of the Hyuuga labyrinth before she refused to be dragged any longer. Neji turned to her and saw that she still refused to look at him. He wanted to take them far away from here to escape everything. He needed only her to complete himself. “Tenten, let’s leave,” he told her. “Don’t think for a second that my clan matters more than you-” he took her hand and began to walk away from the compound again.

She pulled her hand from him once more. “Neji, I know you don’t care for those things,” Tenten finally met his eyes after reluctance. “But I also know you want to change it.” She took a tiny step back away from him. Thoughts of his flourishment in the future finalized her choice to him, “I don’t want you to lose your dream of changing the clan,” she faced him head-on, “to me, you will forever be a caged bird if you don’t accomplish this.”

“I will accomplish it, Tenten,” Neji earnestly told her. His mind must have been clouded from all these talks of fate and destiny. It once was so clear to him but now it didn’t know what to choose. “I will accomplish it with you by my side.” Tenten wallowed in her memories of uttering those words to him, “You’ve said it before didn’t you, that I will prosper, and you will be right beside me- you told me you’d be there to witness it.”

“Neji,” she desperately pleaded for him to stop, “please don’t bring them up.” Tenten suppressed her urge to weep and took in deep breaths to push them away. She remembered all those words she said to him, and in this situation, those words burned her.

He held both her shoulders and forced her to look at him, “My uncle is right.” Tenten bit her inner lip and listened to him, “Before we do anything brash, come with me to the shrine.” He carefully interlaced their fingers and guided her through the village and up to the secluded shrine.

The noon's sun set itself above high in the sky. They zipped through the village paths, refusing to greet any friends they passed by. Neji insisted they know their future first before jumping to conclusions. What if these obstacles were just a fluke? What if they could fulfill their love together in this life? _“We can only learn from the past, but that doesn’t mean it’ll influence the future. You and I, we can make the choice to fulfill it in this life.”_

Tenten hated when Neji act upon his own accord. What difference would it make if their foresight was wrong? Even if they found out that they could become one in this life, and even if his clan allowed them to marry, she could never agree to it now. Her background would taint his lineage. How could she love him and watch him prosper as his wife? Before Tenten could tell him her final decision, they’ve reached the shrine.

A shrine keeper appeared before them to give a greeting. But upon seeing the Hyuuga entourage behind the two persons, the shrine keeper walked passed them to welcome the elderly. “Hiashi-sama, Neiro-sama,” the shrine keeper respectfully bowed, “what brings an audience of such size to my humble shrine?”

“A conflict has befallen upon our clan,” Hiashi gestured to the two persons standing up front. “We’ve come to settle their fate.”

The shrine keeper peered to the two persons she’s neglected in a meek manner. Her eyes began to pulsate and she reverted her attention back to Hiashi, “The Rite of Divine requires extensive preparations, Hiashi-sama. I’m afraid it will hinder your time through to the night.”

“It is why we come now,” Hiashi replied.

“Of course,” the shrine keeper bowed to him, “I will make preparations this instance.” She glided past the two and stopped, “Follow me.”

They were impure, the shrine keeper told them. And they must remain impure in order to follow through with the ritual. Tenten felt a chill run down her spine. As she looked out the opened paper windows, she saw that the Winter sun already touched the horizon. She was thankful enough to be alone in her room. Having Neji beside her might just make her go back on her words in her mind. She couldn’t tell him yet, but she knew she must. Shrine keepers kept the door wide open. He was in the room across from her and she knew he was looking at her, but she didn’t want to face him.

The shrine keepers’ feet may come and go as silently as they could, but the sound of water being dumped into a shallow vat ripped through the shrine. She suspected the Hyuuga elders were kept somewhere away from her and Neji. She didn’t feel comfortable here wearing the white robes they gave her. They refused to let her keep her hair up, and they’ve disallowed her intimate undergarments. She felt exposed more than ever.

The sun eventually set, and the duskiness fell upon them. Neji gazed at the woman he loved through the opened doors that peered to the room she was kept in. He wondered if he said anything wrong to her. His mind wanted to find the reason why she’s gone so distant from him, but his eyes diverted his attention to her brilliant beauty. He’d never seen her hair down. They were in curls, cascading down her back as if it always belonged that way. How could he not want to love her? They’ve only shared the prospects of coming together and there were so much more he wanted to know about her.

His view was obstructed when a shrine keeper stood in between them. “The ritual is ready,” was all she said. Eagerly, Neji stood up and walked out of the room into the hall. He faced her, wanting to say something, anything to her. “We must hurry,” the shrine keeper told them.

Never had he put so much faith in his fate. They were submerged into a shallow wooden vat in the shape of a rectangle. The water was pitch black. He took her hand in his’ as they were instructed. Red candles lit the tiny room. Scriptures painted in red on long white papers hung around the vat. Green talisman with black charms hung atop the pool of water. A long braid of white rope encompassed the four red pillars that erect in the room. The shrine keeper that greeted them that afternoon held a bell. Soon the sound of a gong permeated throughout the shrine. It rang through his body, propelled by the water he was submerged in. Neji turned his head to Tenten.

Tenten closed her eyes. She felt a trance coming for an unknown reason. _“This must be how others feel when I put them through a hypnotic state.”_ She held onto Neji’s hands tightly as he began to tremble. She soon followed thereafter with a slight tremor. The calm water soon rippled with the onset of the trance. Tenten’s heart couldn’t take on the suspense anymore. She feared that bad news was coming.

In an instant, all that they saw was darkness. In the state of standing between nonexistence and life, both couldn’t freely think any thoughts. The sound of the gong drowned out until silence pierced their ears. Neji no longer felt the sensation of holding onto Tenten. He couldn’t feel anything. It was as if his life was suspended on a flaming string and he was melting into the black water to become: nothing.

Neji fluttered his eyes open. It was quiet and he no longer was in that room. He blinked a couple of times, understanding that the ritual must be done. He sat up, seeing Tenten drying her hair. Neji realized that he was in his clothes again. She heard him sit up and turned to him, giving him a weak smile, “You’re up.”

He nodded, basking in every inch of her demeanor. Neji scooted behind her with two handful movements and laced his arms around her waist, pulling her close to him. Neji laid his chin on her shoulder, breathing in her scent, “Don’t put your hair up until we part tonight,” he asked of her. “My heart feels heavy as if it already knows what the outcome is.” He held her tight, closing his eyes and collapsing his walls. Neji wanted to love her more than he could express.

Tenten set the towel down and nudged closer to him. She too felt the weight on her feet when they laid in the pool of black water. She didn’t want to lose him back in the war, but she feared she had to lose him now. Tenten wholeheartedly accepted his embrace. She was afraid that this would be their last. Should she tell him now? Should she tell him her final compromise to them? She raised a hand to touch his cheek, “Neji, I-”

“The Head shrine keeper is ready to decipher your fate,” a voice interrupted their intimacy. Neji drew back and met the woman’s eyes. He gave her a nod.

“Let’s go,” he told her. Tenten withheld her confession to him and followed after.

The door to the shrine’s engawa opened and Neji’s eyes landed upon Lee. His eyes landed upon every friend he knew: Sakura was there, so was Naruto, Ino, Kiba, Shino, Shikamaru, Chouji, Sai, and most surprisingly, Sasuke. Their eyes screamed worrisome somber looks with the exception of the latter. As Tenten trailed behind him, Neji saw a handful of his clan members next to his friends. His uncle’s eyes tracked his every move, and his cousins’ faces illuminated with anguish. The massive Hyuuga entourage to the shrine must have alerted them.

The Head shrine keeper sat on the engawa, awaiting their arrival. Neji came down to a seiza and so did Tenten by his side. From the somber look of the shrine keeper, Neji already knew that this was the end for them. He remained quiet, preparing himself for the message.

Her bleak eyes bore into their skin; the shrine keeper examined them once more. They were a peculiar two; she noted. She didn't say anything for over three agonizing minutes. The sound of whistling trees sung over them in the night sky. “It is a shame, I must announce, Hiashi-sama, that the circumstances disallowed me to read the future of their fate.” Neji lowered his eyelids and Tenten gripped her cheongsam by the knees. “You’ve altered fate, pulled the red strings out of order, and almost let out a disaster into our realm,” she spoke to Tenten. The shrine keeper narrowed her eyes onto Neji, “Escaping death allowed you to attain memories you shouldn’t have perceived. You’ve met the ancestors that sealed your fate and lost the opportunity to change your fate.”

Their friends watched on, hearing inconceivable words. The shrine keeper carried on, “You both are merely vessels that carry on the pain of the shinobi path so that others can live. I need not know your future to see that there is no way you’ll ever become one in any lifetime so long as the shinobi way exists.”

Tenten’s eyes welled and her tears easily fell from her sockets. She put up a compensating smile to their demise as tears streamed down her face. She knew it would be like this and yet she still wept. Neji, on the other hand, was stoic. A lump formed in his throat and he couldn’t say a reassuring word to Tenten.

Upon hearing the shrine keeper’s words, Hinata cried along with Tenten. “That’s impossible,” Sakura whispered. Naruto wanted to object, but even he couldn’t do so. Naruto was fated to be something greater than he believed, and his denial and acceptance of that fate proved that such a thing existed. How could he tell Neji and Tenten to deny their destiny?

“The circumstances that placed you both here are lenient,” the shrine keeper explained. “So long as both your distances remain great, and your string of fate remain untangled, you’ll both live long.”

“What do you mean,” Neji managed to ask, “what do you mean distances?”

The shrine keeper closed her eyes, “You are both fated to die the moment either of you starts to develop feelings for one another.” She opened her eyes and stared at them more intensely, “The stronger your love develops, and the closer you two are to feed this love, the easier death comes.” The shrine keeper opened her eyes and smiled. “I’ve told you the circumstances are lenient, but that is if you both want to hear it.”

“That is enough,” Tenten erupted through her obstructed voice. She must tell him now about her conclusion to them, “I want to talk to you, alone, Neji.” Tenten collected herself up and put on her shoes. She wiped her tears away as Neji followed after her.

“What does that mean?!” Kiba yelled out. “Fated to die at the hands of love?”

“Kiba-kun,” Lee stopped him. Ino’s heart trembled as she held onto a weeping Hinata.

The shrine keeper glanced at Kiba, “People are born with varying fate. In some lifetime, they may become one, other times, they die as a result.”

“Then how can you say that Neji and Tenten are fated to never come together in any lifetime?!” Naruto shouted at her. “They’ve done nothing wrong but be born into this world!”

Sakura gripped Naruto’s wrist hard, forbidding him from taking any further steps toward the shrine maiden, “Naruto, please calm down.”

“Those two,” the shrine maiden watched as Neji and Tenten disappear from the shrine, “are reincarnations of the two who birthed the shinobi world.”

Ino was flabbergasted. “How troublesome,” Shikamaru massaged the nape of his neck.

“Reincarnations?” Naruto repeated. He snapped his head to Sasuke who merely closed his eyes and looked away.

The shrine maiden stood up and stepped off the engawa to face Naruto. Her eyes pulsated too, “Just like you, Hero of Konoha. As you and your friend are fated to fight one another, they are fated to sacrifice their love for each other so that people like you, like all of you, can have a chance to find love in this lifetime.” Sakura’s breath shuddered.

“This is unfair,” Lee finally surmised. “I have to go talk to them!”

Shikamaru grasped onto Lee’s arm and pulled him back. Shino stepped in front of him. “They need to talk in private, Lee,” Shikamaru told him.

The shrine maiden walked to Hiashi and bowed to him, “This is not the message you’ve hoped for, Hiashi-sama, but there is nothing in my ability to change their fate.”

Hiashi frowned, having nothing to say. “Hiashi,” Neiro called to him, “we shall resume the meeting tomorrow.” The Hyuuga entourage left. Hanabi glanced at her sister one last time before following the others.

“I will change their fate!” Naruto exclaimed. He broke out of Sakura’s grasp and confronted the shrine keeper.

“Naruto!” Sasuke yelled at him, “even after all this-”

“It’s not fair!” Naruto shouted above Sasuke. “I will change it! Just as I’ve changed ours!” he yelled straight into the shrine keeper’s face.

The shrine keeper kept a straight face at him and blinked a couple of times, “Their fate had remained unchanged for many lifetimes, Hero of Konoha. You don’t know what love is to project your will over me and those two.”

Sasuke and Sakura pulled Naruto back a few steps as Naruto lingered on the prospect of love. “Yeah, I don’t know much about love,” he confessed, “but I will prove you wrong!” Naruto looked to his right, his eyes landed upon Hinata who was still in the arms of Ino. “I will prove you wrong.”

In the lush of the trees and the glowing shrine, the light of the moon emitted their path. Neji followed her every step down the hill, taking a detour to a smaller path from the main one they took to get to the shrine. The bamboos that sprouted and occupied the space between the trees became their veil along with the darkness of the night. In front of them was the same bridge they crossed earlier. He heard a barrage of footsteps from afar: it was the entourage leaving to return home. Somehow, their detour prolonged their way back down. Neji watched as Tenten swayed with every step. Her hair blew mildly against the icy wind. She never stopped walking.

She stopped leading him the moment they reached the bridge. Tenten decided that this abnormal place should be the place where she tells him. She turned to him, smiling weakly. This would be the last time she focused on his nuances: the way his brows were slightly asymmetrical, the beautiful shape of his eyes, the length of his eyelashes, the structure of the bridge of his nose, and the way his lips perked. Tenten basked in the beauty she could no longer claim. “Neji,” this would be the last time she calls his name with sincerity. It would be the last time they’d speak so intimately. The corner of her lips quivered and she pushed a breath out. “Here is my answer to us, the final answer to us.”

Neji watched as her lips moved. Those soft lips, those fragile thoughts, those silent words, that passionate embrace, he wished he could have known his feelings for her sooner. “Tell me,” he whispered. He loved her so, but their vessels were too fragile to be contained as one.

Tenten’s smile widened, and she parted her lips to tell him, “I want you to live.”

Ino stopped in her tracks the moment she saw them. They all came down the shrine, walking upon the two by the bridge. A gust of wind blew their words to Ino’s ear. Hinata heard it too and so did everyone. From afar, hidden by the veil of bamboo, they judged in silence.

“I want you to reach your dreams-”

“You promised to be by my side,” Neji chimed in. “You told me you’d be there to witness it.” She stood within arms reach, but it felt as if she was so far away. Neji’s brows furrowed at her change in tune, “Please don’t go back on your words, I need you. All I need is you beside me.”

He took a step back, not wanting to hear her anymore. Tenten hurried to hold onto the sleeve of his kimono, “I know, Neji,” she looked into his eyes, begging him to return his gaze to her. “I will be beside you-” tears welled up in her eyes, “from afar.” Neji met her gaze. His heart shattered into a million pieces. “I will be there to witness you prosper from far away.” A single tear fell from her eye, “I promise you I will always be there, past the point of no return.” He caressed her cheek, wiping the tear away. She continued to smile for him, but he couldn’t do the same. “I need you too, but I need you to live so I can see you. I need you to live so I can be there for you,” she shook her head minimally, “Promise me you’ll live for me, hm?”

She stared at him for a long time, searching for an answer from him. Neji gently pulled her into an embrace, the last one he’ll ever give her. He felt her touch to be more genuine than ever. She didn’t want to let go of him, but he knew they must part. “I promise,” his heart shriveled upon uttering those words. At times like these, he didn’t want to say much. Neji now fully acknowledged how futile it was to go against everything. No matter how much he wanted to be loved by the person he beloved, no matter how much he wanted to come to her, this was her compromise to them. Neji wanted her to live too, and if either of them died, there would be no more point in living. So long as he could see her once in a while, Neji supposed he’d be fine, but he wouldn’t know until he tried. “We hadn’t the time to learn the tiny things about each other, nor the chance to say the words I love y-”

“I love you,” Tenten bellowed to him. She pulled him away and looked into his eyes, “I love you. I love your tender smile, I love the way you breathe when you sleep, the sound of your heartbeat,” she told him with a grin. “I’ll hear them everywhere I go.” And though she was smiling, her tearful eyes told another story, “I love the sound of your footsteps, your walk, how you chew, how you hold my hand, how you look at me. I love you,” she lamented.

Neji grazed both her cheeks with his fingers and brought himself closer to her. Their foreheads touch and he finally let out a smile just for her. “I love you, Tenten. I meant it, to cherish you until we’re no more,” he told her with a whispering haze. His eyes could never leave her; they were her’s, “We’ll love from far away, so long as you are alive, I will be too.” Neji regretted all the things he couldn’t do for her, “I’ll repay your care and kindness with long instances of you, but promise me that when this life is over, and we meet again, we can put everything in the past and stand by each other.”

Tenten chuckled and her eyes glistened. He remembered every single word of her’s. “I will.”

They shared the last kiss, a brief but deeply wounding one. Neji was lost in her taste, her scent, her everything. This would be the last time he held her close, the last time he’d kiss her so passionately, the last time they’ll ever see one another as lovers. He held her hand as they both took the first step onto the bridge. With every step, they retracted every shared memory to keep alone.

The last thing to do now was to part. “Tomorrow,” Neji breathed. Tenten took another simultaneous step with him, “we will become the old selves we used to be.” They neared the end of the bridge, “We’ll become the platonic comrades we grew up as.” The bridge couldn’t stretch any further for them to say their partings.

Neji released her hand when they crossed over the bridge. Painful as it was, he continued to walk and distance himself from her, “I’ll see you again, goodnight Tenten.” Tomorrow would become any other day. He’d treat her as the comrade she once was to him. The void of affection would return only slightly, partially filled with the memories they shared. Neji must keep on walking for her sake. As if he hadn't confessed, as if he hadn't kissed her nor held her in his arms, he'd charade this lie and play his part for her. Their relationship would revert to its platonic-ness and he must cage up his feelings for her until the next life.

“Goodnight, Neji,” she parted from him, walking the opposite way even though their homes were in the same direction. And then it came, the hard realization that he could never be her’s. Tenten grabbed her chest, holding onto the agonizing pain that thorned within her chest. She needed to sob, to let out the hopelessness. Her hand covered her mouth and she turned around to watch him go for the last time. Her facade shattered as she watched him disappear from her sight into the night. Tenten turned back around and shut her eyes closed. Her cries broke through her meager barricade. Tenten cowered, unable to stand up tall. Her sobs cracked through the Winter’s whistling trees. The night was cold but she was colder.

Neji recounted the days he’s gone through with Tenten by his side. It was the end of Autumn when he confessed to her. A month into Winter felt longer without her next to him and two painful days went by as they finally confessed. With the next three months of Winter to come, Neji feared that it wouldn’t be enough to enclose his sorrow. He feared it’ll bleed to Spring and never stop there. _“Glazed glass frost over, dried leaves shield battered windows, who thinks the autumn winter cold?”_


	30. House of Cards

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiba gets fed up with Naruto's screams of changing fate. He tells Naruto about how he feels regarding Hinata's confession to the blonde boy. Bitter and filled with resentment, Kiba leaves Naruto and the rest of the crew for the night. Naruto asks Shikamaru if he feels the same way as Kiba and Shikamaru doesn't deny it either.

White specks began to fall again. For a split second, all that Ino saw was a whirlwind of snow before her eyes adjusted. The snowfall came in, weaving through the evergreens like dust. She glanced at Tenten, hearing the woman’s cries muffled with the abrupt wind that blitzed in. Ino could no longer stand and watch. She nudged the weeping woman in her arms to Kiba and ran toward the bridge. How could she not comfort her friend? The thought of being in Tenten’s situation gutted her consciousness awake. If Ino was in her circumstance, she’d need consolation in this instance.

“Ino!” Sakura called out to her. “Kiba, please watch over Hinata.” Instinctively, she sprinted toward them. 

Ino faced the embodiment of sadness. She approached Tenten, hearing her shouting cries clearer than ever. Tenten was slouched, both her hands were on her knees. Her loose hair glued to her reddened face. Ino approached Tenten from behind and hesitantly placed her hand on the woman’s back. She leaned down to the grieving mess. Without saying a word, Ino drew Tenten to her chest, allowing the woman to let all her sorrow out. 

Tenten used both her hands to cover her mouth as she met Ino’s chest. She collapsed to the ground, drowning her cries onto Ino’s lap. Ino fell too, letting tears collect on her pants. She softly rubbed the woman’s back as Sakura kneeled down to do the same. They couldn’t say anything but be silent. The storm blew on, collecting snow around themselves. They couldn’t leave without Tenten; they were willing to face the cold with the woman until she overcame her sadness.

Kiba pulled his teammate to his chest and allowed her to cry on his chest, “Yeah,” he replied to Sakura even though she was far gone. His heart carried a heavy load as his nose lost Neji’s scent. He hadn’t known what love was, but the thought of never being able to live with his loved one, wherever she may be right now, he didn’t even know how to feel. Kiba wondered how Neji must feel in this moment. He watched as Sakura and Ino ran to Tenten. Kiba wondered if Neji needed comfort as well. He held Hinata tightly in his arms as the snowstorm picked up.

“We should go to Neji,” Naruto interjected. He looked to the rest of his friends, seeing frozen faces and bodies that refused to move. “He needs us right now!” Naruto growled, “Why are you just standing there?!” he grabbed Lee’s shirt and pulled him close. The solemn man merely looked down, “Aren’t they your comrades?!” 

“Yo. Naruto-” Shikamaru stepped in toward their commotion, “calm down-” Naruto glared at him with tears in his eyes. He didn’t know what their kind of love was, but throwing such a strong bond away like that was like throwing away friendship; a bond as strong as Sasuke’s and his’. “It’s their choice-”

Lee took in a breath and looked to Naruto. A fit of anger welled up within his chest and he grabbed Naruto’s wrist. Lee tore his grasp off and smashed his fist onto the blonde’s cheek. Who was he to question Lee’s relationship with them? Sasuke stood afar and crossed his arms. “Lee?” Shikamaru questioned his action. 

Naruto fell easily onto the floor, cushioning his cheek with a hand. He glared up to the man standing over him, “Tch-”

“They’re my friends, Naruto-kun,” Lee’s voice shaken, “more importantly, they’re my family.” He took one step closer to the fallen man as the snowstorm strengthened. “How can you act like this when you barely know them?” Sasuke raised a brow while Shikamaru turned away. Naruto’s eyes widen at the sudden spotlight Lee had put onto him. “I should be the one to scream and shout that it’s unfair, but I can’t because I know them both too well.” Lee’s eyes glistened with tears upon saying those words, “They have to be strong for us, Naruto-kun, for themselves too. So stop being angry at the wrong things and look at the world clearly.” Lee walked past Naruto and watched the snowfall hinder his sight of his grieving comrade, “If you want to change their fate, then you must change the world,” he turned a shoulder to the blonde man who had gotten to his feet. Lee looked straight into his blue eyes sternly, “End the shinobi, let peace flourish, and only then can their destined sacrifice for us truly come to a close.”

Kiba watched Lee be engulfed in the snowstorm as the latter crossed the bridge. He lowered his eyes to the steps the man left behind, “Stop acting so big, Naruto.” Kiba glanced at Naruto and took Hinata’s hand to leave, “There are choices people make just so others can live,” Naruto looked at Kiba taking Hinata away, “how many times can you say you’ve sacrificed yourself for someone else’s life? Except for you and Sasuke, we’re the pawns that always end up putting your lives before our own.” Kiba stopped walking and fully faced Naruto.

Shino walked to Hinata and guided her back home. She hadn’t stopped weeping. Kiba’s brows furrowed and discontent swallowed his mind, “Friends die for each other, and we’re all willing to die for you.” Shikamaru lowered his gaze and stuffed his hands into his pockets. He didn’t know why Kiba was saying all these dark words, but it tugged his heartstrings. “Chouji and Neji were on the brink of death to bring Sasuke home. Lee, Shikamaru, and I would have died just for your cause,” Kiba shut his eyes closed, remembering the bad memories he tried to forget. “Shinobi fight to protect you in the war,” he gritted his teeth, unable to suppress the pent up emotions, “and Hinata— Hinata gave her confession to you! She’s sacrificed her life for you twice already!” Kiba sprinted to Naruto and grabbed his collar, pulling the shorter man to his face, “Tell me what would have happened if Tenten didn’t protect Neji when he jumped in front of the both of you?! Would you regret it?!” Kiba shoved Naruto backward hard and tears welled in his eyes, “For you, we all had to sacrifice someone we loved-”

“That’s enough, Kiba,” Shikamaru bit his lower lips and tried to stop him from speaking any further. Doing so, he believed, would stop his heart from grieving those he’s lost. 

“You don’t know how it feels to make the hard choice to let someone go when you knew you could have saved them,” Kiba took a step back and wiped his tears with his sleeve. “It’s been a long time since Hinata’s confession to you, yet you haven’t even reciprocated anything back,” Kiba turned around, facing the silhouette of his comrades in the distance, “don’t talk about love if you won’t acknowledge it.” He hurried toward Shino and Hinata, kicking the snow along as he went. 

Shikamaru’s quivering heart calmed when Kiba finished what he had to say. He sniffed, remembering what his father told him. Shikamaru looked to Naruto, defeated and speechless at Kiba’s exhortation. “Naruto,” the blonde man didn’t respond to him and merely stood there, frozen to the ground with a slouched spine. He glanced at Sasuke and Sai who stood beside the blonde haired man. “Kiba is hot-headed when he’s angry, I’ll excuse myself now,” Shikamaru paced after them with a shaken heart. It pained him when Kiba mentioned those words; father and teacher. He wished he didn’t have to hear it. 

“Shikamaru,” Naruto faintly called to him, “do you also think like Kiba?” Shikamaru stopped in his tracks. 

The icy wind blew snow to his lips. He thought about Kiba’s words and he regretted doing so. If the war didn’t happen, he’d still have his father beside him. If Naruto wasn’t so persistent in retrieving Sasuke, he’d still have his teacher. So what could he say? “A shinobi’s life lives by the shinobi way, Naruto. There has to be a sacrifice for peace, but it can never be you, because, we have faith that you can change the world.” His mind drifted to the tragedy placed upon the white-eyed jounin. They were only kids who must escape death with their skills.  _ “Evenly, evenly.” _ Evenly, Shikamaru believed that it was their lack of skills that could kill them, but it looked like the heavens had their arrows pointed at the prodigy the whole time. Death, as it seemed, was unbalanced from the beginning. Shikamaru continued to walk across the bridge. His hands never warmed ever since he put them in his pockets. He wondered how warm it was in Sunagakure. 

Sai walked over to Naruto and so did Sasuke. “Naruto,” Chouji placed his hand onto the man’s shoulder to try and reassure him. Naruto glanced up to him with a somber expression. “The world is complicated and we all have to mature as fast as we can,” Chouji gazed at Shikamaru disappearing with the snow and a meek smile came to his lips. “Like a house of cards, every individual structure is fragile. But when we all work as a team, grandeur champions.” Naruto looked onwards to the image of a looming snowstorm. Chouji glanced down to him and grinned, “sacrifice and making the hard choices are just part of the cards that must be laid out in order for the house to stand. Trust me when I say that we will stand by you to make the shinobi world be at peace.”

“Chouji,” Naruto mustered, a single tear escaped his eye. 

“The war is still fresh in our minds, Naruto,” Chouji removed his hands and began to follow after Shikamaru, “those we’ve lost and— today, the difficult choices we make are only for the prosperity and peace of tomorrow.” Chouji turned around and waved back to all three of them, “Neji and Tenten will come together, they’ve made the first step into the new era of tranquility in Konoha and we should too!”

Naruto chuckled weakly with Chouji’s comforting words. He wiped his tear away with the hem of his long sleeve and belted out loudly into the night, “Yes! We will!” 

Sai watched as Chouji’s silhouette leave with the white fog of snow. Even though he hadn’t said a word, he knew that this was what true friendship was. He believed this was the epitome of all of their bond. They haven’t fought to this degree in a while but Sai knew that this argumentative conversation would strengthen all of their attachment to one another. “We should head back home and think of what to do,” his suggestion earned Sasuke’s curiosity. Naruto looked at the two of them and grinned.


	31. Soliloquies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Internal monologues of Neji and Tenten. After a while of separation and keeping the safe distances between one another established, they run to each other by chance.

Soliloquy: Lonely Instrument

_ Neji _

Every shadow that cascades against my home, they are mine, but I say it’s yours. That gentleness, lost in thought, I imagine your shadow wrapping all of my thoughts. Puncturing paper windows, I get lost, imagining you on the other side. The sound of snow winds around me. It plays a lonely tune only I know of. 

My door shuts close, and light shines through. Each day is like this, mundane at its best, but breathless when you were here. When I dream, I hear all the words we said when we just met. Your words, I will never forget. I see it now, when we had fun, I noticed one thing. These memories are passing by. Time is ticking and leaving things behind to stay. It ties us briefly to have time to play. 

The inked paintbrush freezes with the passage of time. Like a still frame, I pause in thought. I ought to write these words of you. But the paper bleeds. My love for you is tainted. 

Faintly, I imagine your face. So subtle, I trace your skin in space. Vanity consumes me, the sound in my chest beats to live. It hollowly echoes. Like the sounds of a high pitched string, it tugs in vain. 

The spacious room calls to you. It misses your company. I’ve grown used to you. Briefly, I am reminded of everywhere you’ve spent. When I wake, it is still dark. In the room you once slept, beside me, I imagine your person taking space. It is empty now, the instrument you gifted to me cries throughout the night. The candle flickers with the opened door. I pluck the string, will you hear my calls to you? 

Your memories spiral over me and fall asleep in my dreams. I am still tiptoeing in missing you. The snow blanket has become thicker. If I plunge into it, I’d drown in white memories of you. 

It’s stuffy, but I must endure. Winter is coming in colder, not because of your absence. My heart is enduring our shared separation, and it ices up with the passing days until fruition. It will bloom in adversity when Spring comes around and petals will fall just to kiss your face. My love will melt and droplets will dew onto you. 

Hesitant steps walk around, never once nearing you until today. I wonder how you’re doing these past few weeks. Are you eating well? You grin to me just like before, I’m eased about our demise. I’ve accepted your choice, my heart is filled with a double-edged sword. One side continues to love you across an ocean, the other greets you with a platonic glance. We can only share a bond no more than just friends. A meeting so fleeting, there shouldn’t be anything attached. But I can’t help it. 

We’re enacting our first meeting with today. You break the cold structure of mine with a mere smile. I’ll look your way and brush it off. How odd it was for me to let you swim into my heart. Like a fool, I couldn’t say anything at first. Still, you come to me like shooting stars, appearing in the fog of my mind. And so I come to you. Though my love couldn’t start before, now I can say my passionate love belongs to you. I never doubt our genuine love. Even with a glance, you must know, we are just acting. I’ll pretend to be the unknowing boy, and you, like a sealed mystery box, we’ll pretend to never know our affection for each other. 

In my life, full of regret, you surround me with a faint promise and heart that will never change. Even if the seasons change, I’ll still be here, back in the end of Autumn where our love is the most vivid. In my head, you linger all day. Our love hurts but I live because of you. The reason I live is because of you. Even if it hurts this much, I’d still love you. 

You’re someone I can’t have, but I won’t have anyone like you. A sad melody eases the pain in the most delicate way. We’ll share the soothing tune as I think of you. 

Past the endless dawn, little by little, my feelings get deeper. Seeing you today, I shouldn’t get my hopes up. Drawn to your image, how perfectly you fit in my embrace, I can’t stop wanting you. Laying against the cold floor, I imagine your image on the ceiling. The double-edged sword strikes at the oddest time, it mixes my affection, am I stilling acting? I suddenly look at reality, as if by chance. Again, I’ve been dreaming too much.

Hovering in the most bitter longing for you, I call your name without making a sound. Even I can’t hear it. I get shocked to see how much I get hurt because of you. My days are a struggle, even my thoughts of you are painful. If it was you, how would it be? Are you as crazy as me? Do you break down just as much as me? Can we speak to one another the next time we meet? Even though it’ll be just a passing, a greeting will do. I’ll only know a love that looks at you from behind.

This is what we call fate, something we can’t deny. Will I ever have another glorious moment with you? Even with time, our love won’t rust away. Even though there’s no hope you’ll come to me, I can’t help but endure these pains. Our meeting was short, but it was real. Even though it cannot last, I won’t resent because I’ll see you again.

 

Soliloquy: Searching for Birds

_ Tenten _

My window stays open, even as the Winter blew by. It’s waiting, searching for the object that resembles you. You were always just a bird. After an embrace, there’s nothing but light memories of you. The endless sky is painted cloudy white, fog consumes where I perch; I can’t seem to find any birds. Suddenly, it came to me, you’re free to go. And you’re free to come. Like a bird in the sky, there is no limit. The thought of you branches deep into my mind. You stand tall in my head, rooting our memories into my unstable heart. For a moment I imagine you here, leaning against my open window, looking at my inconsiderate state. I said it’s for the best of us, but I regret it immediately instead.

The love we can’t have in this life, the fate we can’t choose in this life; this is a test for us, our promise to each other. Someday when we meet again, let’s not say goodbye. I’m not good at farewells or see you next times. A silent room that doesn’t own a piece of you, I’m spared of my deep longing attachment for you. But can you say the same? The instrument must hurt when it’s played. I hope you hide it away. I miss you, but what can I say? If I see you, from moment to moment, will you smile for me? So my heart can become lighter and treasure these fleeting images of you. That’s all I need.

I remember our first kiss. I close my eyes whenever I can and go to the farthest place of my mind to be alone with you. How can I be so lucky to have met you? If we’re together now, how great it’d be. My arms around you, finally I could say that I’ve caught you. A flightless bird you become when you’re with me. I am filled with your love constantly, though it vaguely comes to my mind. I haven’t forgotten, a few weeks passed by. 

Like snow, my mind is melting with stains of you. Easily, I give you a grin resembling the person I used to be. I’ve been practicing, imitating the little tendencies I’ve grown used to do for you. Greetings with a glance, a mere side eyeing comes to me. You’re so bad at acting, pretend to know me at least. When we meet again, rehearsal after rehearsal, let’s greet comfortably. I say this so confidently, yet your image sticks to my skin. I accept it, I can’t change it, much like the burdensome Winter. Our memories float like a snow shower. I think I’ll need an umbrella, I’m so worried I’d come running to you.

Perching on the window sill, you freshly remain in my mind. Time passes, I know because I’ve run out of memories to run by. We’ve so little moments, much to my surprise. From when we were young to slight instances where our eyes meet, my heartbeat fleets with every thought of you. Are you listening? My voice calls to you. Are you listening right now? Can you hear my heart? Whispering my letters to you, I hope you never receive them. 

You drive me crazy; you make me cry. You’re as close as if I can catch you, but when I do, you fly away. When you hold my hands, warmth spreads throughout my confused heart. I want to go to you, but the distance between us isn’t narrowing. But it’s okay, even if I can’t touch you, even if I can’t hug you, as long as time continues to flow, I get hopeful for the future.

Leaving love is harder than falling in love. Our promise suppresses my endeavors for you. My only solution is to fully succumb to what we say we’ll do. I’ll say I don’t love you, but you know I clearly do. So let’s lie; my heart doesn’t ache for you anymore. You know it does, but let’s rekindle this friendship from you to me. That way it’ll be more bearable to stand next to you when we meet again.

I’ll hug the empty space in front of me. The far distance separates us, but your heart is close to mine. As time passes by, your name comes to my lips once more. I’ll shout several times in my mind. Love is what we do alone, I hope it reaches you. Don’t forget the happy memories, I won’t forget them either.


	32. Atonement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji finally visits his uncle's place to train with Hinata and Hanabi after a whole month of seclusion after his ordeal with Tenten. Hinata seeks Neji's help in deciphering her feelings for Naruto.

Neji slid the door open, finding strong sunlight in the Winter morning. A month and a half passed by since the bitter incident at the bridge. Neji pulled himself up and prepared himself for the day. It’s odd, resuming the daily tasks he’d done before everything, even before the war. It’s as if he had defaulted back to a lesser state of brilliance despite having the Hyuuga’s tablet insignia proudly displayed overhead by his gate’s entrance. 

He stopped playing the gǔqín a while ago, storing it in the vacant room Tenten once slept in. In the back of his mind, she always remained there. His deep longing was stored there, locked away until it was time. 

They were simply just turning back against time, molding themselves and their emotions to when he considered her nothing more than a friend and when she saw him as a worthy comrade. They've established an unwritten distance, a safe distance that would forever hold their longing until it was time. Neji washed the rice quickly, briefly remembering when he taught her how to wash them a season ago. Bittersweet memories, he simpered. Now the memories didn’t faze him as much. 

Neji propped his elbow onto the short-legged table, his hand held a detailed manual of Hyuuga taijutsu techniques Hiro has been boasting about. He remembered them appearing at his doorstep on the night Tenten and he separated. The modest breakfast he prepared was in the midst of being finished. Neji glanced to the closed door, something peculiar came to his mind. He set the chopsticks down and reached over to slide the door open. It stopped snowing last week, allowing his courtyard to dry. Seeing the empty courtyard reminded him of his father in the Infinite Tsukuyomi. The dents on the ground due to massive training were nonexistent in his courtyard unlike in the dream, but there was a place where it existed. Similar dents and craters existed in his uncle's courtyard. It had been a while since he’s gone to his uncle’s manor. 

His uncle’s place hadn’t changed one bit. Hiashi rounded the corner, seeing his nephew enter his compound. The younger man bowed to him. Hiashi nodded and simpered. A good amount of time had passed and he didn’t want to disturb or pressure his nephew to overcome and press forward to resume his old demeanor. Yes, Hiashi knew of their ultimate decision, everyone who cared enough to listen had heard it; it was almost all of Konoha. “Hanabi and Hinata have been waiting for you for a while,” Hiashi told him. They’ve been waiting for a month and a half.

Neji climbed onto the engawa, his comfort fitted well with his uncle’s place. Hiashi made way for his nephew, waving toward the direction of the dojo. Neji smile with genuine, “Thank you, Hiashi-sama.” His uncle’s acceptance of his arrival eased his anxiousness. Neji paced to the dojo far in the back. The manor was larger than his quaint home. 

He placed his hand onto the door, hearing movements and punches being thrown about. The last time he sparred here with any Hyuuga member was when he was sixteen. He rarely made time to observe the head members spar to gain insight into secret techniques back then after failing the Chuunin Exams the first time. Neji thought he’d find his own way to become stronger and in a way, he did with the help of his comrades. He slid the door open and found his cousins engaged in a basic dance, returning blows. 

Hanabi was the first to yield before Hinata followed after. “Neji-niisan,” Hanabi greeted him. She smiled from cheek to cheek. Hinata, however, could only give him a shameful smile. 

“Sorry for keeping you both waiting,” he announced. “I haven’t touched up in a while so please go easy on me,” he told them. Neji closed the dojo door and walked up to them. 

Hinata pressed her lips thin whilst smiling and nudged Hanabi forward, “Make him pay for not training you,” she told her younger sister. 

Hanabi chuckled and watched as her sister stepped back to the sidelines of the dojo. Neji merely smirked at their conversation. He’s only been gone for a month and a half and it looked like Hanabi was going to surpass him. Neji took a couple of steps back to form the correct distance from his cousin. Hanabi’s eyes narrowed as she watched her cousin enter his fighting stance, “Tokuma-sensei has taught me well, nii-san.” Hanabi entered her fighting stance, raising her palm up in front of her, “Let’s go!” Neji chuckled at the familiarity he once lost with his cousins. Many things had happened and he hadn’t been able to rekindle their familial bond. He was glad that they openly welcomed him.

Hinata looked onward at them, especially to her cousin she referred to as her brother. He’s changed completely. He visibly smiled more, became more easy-going in the way he spoke to them, and even looked more relaxed than he used to be. This was the person she always wanted to see: a happier Neji. Hinata’s compassion for him had no bounds. Though she worried about many things and felt strongly for many things over the last month and a half, she never forgot her cousin’s fate. Perhaps it was one of the reasons why she never went to visit him to ask for forgiveness. Everything went downhill the moment she blurted out her accusations against her cousin in the last meeting. To see him now putting everything in the past with a grounding maturity she could never surmount, Hinata was both content with his growth and strong will and forlorn for causing the series of events that led to the reveal of his fate. 

“Hinata-sama,” she heard her name echoing in her mind. She blinked, snapping out of her thoughts to find her cousin on his side of the dojo and Hanabi kneeling on the floor. She wondered how long she’s blanked out. 

“Yes?” she replied.  _ “Hinata-sama?”  _ Hinata stood up to switch places with her sister. He’s called her name with a different tone but still retained the old words. “Nii-san, you don’t need to call me that anymore,” she told him. Hanabi got to her feet and walked to the sidelines as Hinata took her fighting stance. “You are older than me, my older brother,” she expressed with all her genuineness, “more importantly, you are a head member.”

Neji was taken aback by her words. He closed his eyes and chuckled. Being recognized as a head member was still an odd feeling for him, “You’re right-” he replied, “Hinata.” A calming beat drummed in his chest. He took in a deep breath and the images on the Hyuuga taijutsu manual flashed before his eyes. Neji opened his eyes and charged toward his cousin. He ought to test the techniques.

* * *

 

The afternoon came. Every inch of Neji’s body perspired with sweat. Six daunting hours of sparring didn’t make up for the long time he spent away to gather his thoughts but Neji knew it was a good start. All three of them sat out on the Dojo engawa, letting the Winter cold flush their heat away. They looked out to the sun high in the sky, surprised its appearance stayed for longer than it used to in the past. 

It began to snow lightly, and Neji was drawn back to his old memories. The days in the past was just like today. The sun was up high and snow fell. He rejoiced in his childhood, remembering how much his father cherished him. The past should stay in the past, he has moved on. Neji looked to the tiny courtyard available to the dojo and smiled softly.

Hinata glanced at her cousin for what seemed to be too long. Hanabi situated herself between them, but she laid her back against the engawa floor. She’d grown tired from the spar. Nevertheless, Hinata continued to look at him because he was lovely when he smiled. She remembered when they were children. Before the animosity grew, before the hate, it was just them living to the joys of the world. He smiled a lot as a child and she hated that she hadn’t seen such a genuine smile until now. 

Her priorities were thrown into disarray because of her cousin. Hinata turned her head to look ahead. She was a weak child with a weak inherited bloodline. However, everything turned to shambles when her uncle was sacrificed. Her best friend, her only cousin brewed hatred for her and it weakened her already feeble state. If she was strong enough, could she have salvaged their bond a long time ago? Instead of occupying her mind with the blonde man she grew to love, could she have used that inherited space to become stronger for her cousin’s sake? Hinata lowered her head in shame. 

“What’s troubling you, Hinata?” she heard him ask her.

Hinata propped her head up and glanced to him. There’s nothing she could do for him now that she couldn’t turn back time to fix it. “It’s nothing, brother.”

Neji glanced at her. Easily, he read her behavior, “It’s about Naruto, isn’t it?”

She immediately denied it but her redden ears told the truth. In a way, it was about Naruto. She thought about what Kiba said to him on that fateful night. Even though Shino dragged her away, she was able to pick up the last of Kiba’s words.  _ “Hinata gave her confession to you! She’s sacrificed her life for you twice already… don’t talk about love if you won’t acknowledge it.” _ Hinata turned to Neji. He’s been in love before, she supposed he could help her. “Tell me brother, am I stupid to continue loving Naruto-kun?” 

Neji furrowed his brows at her odd question. And though it was odd, these kinds of thoughts that come toward the end of night implicated onto his mind. “Sometimes, I ask myself why you continue to do so too.” Hinata frowned, her eyes lowered at his response. “But when I think about it, you’re just too naive, you love so blindly,” Neji looked out to the snowing sky, “Love is what two people do, whether we do it alone or together, it’s both the same kind of exchange.” He watched as pieces of snowflakes floated to the ground, one after another. “I heard that you confessed to him during Pain’s destruction. You’d think he reciprocate something, anything back right?” Hinata turned her head away from him and looked at the ground covering itself with snow. “Naruto didn’t visit you once when you were recovering,” Neji’s memories floated between two points in time. One recalled his cousin’s days bedridden and the other reminiscing about Tenten’s continual care for him. “If he loved you, he would have come running to you by now.”

“Naruto-kun,” Hinata whispered softly. “Naruto-kun made a promise to Sakura-chan to bring Sasuke back-”

“It is precisely that, Hinata,” Neji stopped her from continuing. “At the expense of your life, he’d fulfill that promise first before he thinks of you. That is the problem.” 

Hinata recalled Kiba’s words again. Why were they so ready to sacrifice themselves for Naruto? Not because they loved him. No, that was the reason why she did it countless times. She wanted to give herself up for him. “I wanted to prove my love for Naruto-kun,” she meekly replied. It was futile to deny her cousin’s words. “Wouldn’t it be noble to die for love?” She glanced to him once more, “Like you and Tenten-san.”

Neji raised a brow at her comparison. He straightened his back and shook his head no, “Tenten and I,” he paused, a distressed expression came to his face momentarily and disappeared, “we will die because of love, not for it.” Neji shifted, turning to his cousin fully, “It’d be noble to die for the one you love, only when you know they love you back.” Hinata’s expression caved and she stared blankly at him. “If Naruto loves you and if you willingly sacrifice yourself for him, he wouldn’t have to resort to using his Kyuubi power in a rage after you’re gone. He’d do everything in his will to keep you alive.” Hinata looked down to Neji’s hands and then to her own. “Yet time after time, his willingness to protect others only becomes the strongest after someone has to die or get hurt.”

“He loves Sakura-san,” Hinata whispered. Naruto has always had feelings for her. Hinata’s unrequited love continued onwards even after her confession to him. She thought about her cousin’s words. Perhaps he was right about love. The other person has to know and reciprocate back the affection. But Naruto, even after all these time, he hasn’t returned anything. “Brother, I’ve decided,” Hinata spoke to him. Neji shifted back to the tiny courtyard and waited for his cousin to speak. “I want to move on from Naruto-kun, but-” she cut her response short, remembering what she said to Ino, Tenten, and Sakura, “I don’t know how, I still love him.” Had Naruto showed an inkling of his feeling for her, maybe she wouldn’t be in shambles. 

“I suppose you can confess your true feelings for him correctly this time,” Neji suggested. “I’m not telling you that you must do it. If you are deeply conflicted, the best thing to do is to confess. And if he’s oblivious to it, it’s time you give him up.” He heard Hinata sniff and when he glanced at her, she dried her tears. They haven’t even had a chance to fall. Naruto, to Neji, has a tunnel vision. There was one goal for the blonde hero, and that goal was to ultimately bring Sasuke back. The man couldn’t stop and assess the things around him, especially to his cousin who’s waited time and time again for him. “Or, I can talk to him for you,” Hinata seemed unfazed by his second suggestion, “make him come to you somehow?” He was throwing darts to see what else landed. His cousin cried a lot, and he quite disliked it, but she was suffering because of love, much like him and he didn’t want her to go down his path.

In the back of her mind, she navigated her way to her room, opening a drawer to reveal the wrinkled receipt that Ino wrote,  _ “A bright day of rejoice, at one’s elbows, tied the string of fate.” _ Hinata smiled tenderly. Tenten, Ino, and Sakura told her that the words on the receipt meant well. Even if she couldn’t be beside Naruto, even if she couldn’t stand beside him as his wife, she’d still be able to see him reach his dreams. An unrequited love such as her’s, she’ll have to bury this one-sided love and grow anew. “No brother,” she told him. “I will talk to him.” Hinata has made her decision for herself. 

“Gee, I wonder when that’ll be,” both Neji and Hinata looked down to Hanabi who was staring directly back at them. 

Hinata puckered her lips and her eyes narrowed, “It- it’ll be soon!”

Hanabi merely rolled her eyes and sat up, “Uh-huh-” her sister pushed her to the side toward Neji. Hinata roughed Hanabi up and Hanabi too began to playfully push her sister. 

Neji chuckled and stood up. “Maybe the both of you can settle this with a brawl.” He opened the dojo door and entered, causing Hanabi to dash inside. Hinata couldn’t help but chuckle as she got to her feet and entered the dojo after her sister. Her cousin closed the door and stood on the sidelines. Hinata got into her fighting stance and charged at her sister.


	33. Gathered Under a Waning Moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naruto and the rest of the guys go and hang out at Neji's place despite the prodigy's refusal. As night comes, Naruto asks Neji about Hinata.

Neji thought he’d let Hinata do it her way, but she never did. He knew because Naruto was sitting under his roof right in front of him. He’d just slammed a card down onto the short-legged table Neji owned and yelped a victorious game. There was no hint of remorse at all. Neji thought it might just be true that Naruto didn’t hold any feelings for his cousin. Furthermore, his home was too loud and crowded to even attempt to read the blonde man. Naruto, along with all of his other friends, some whom he wasn’t that well acquainted with, even came. Neji was talking about Sasuke. He didn’t even know why the man came at all. “Yosh!” Naruto exclaimed. “Shuffle! Shuffle loser!” he pointed to Shino who was having a meltdown. 

They’ve been partying at his home since 6pm. It was now around 9, and Neji supposed his lights weren’t bright enough for Shino. Shino blamed his eight straight losses on his lightbulbs yet still refused to take off his shades. Empty sake bottles laid lazily around them all and bags of snacks were shoved under the short-legged table. Sai opted to stay in the vacant room adjoining his bedroom. He kept both doors wide open, seemingly reading or drawing, Neji didn’t know. 

Having them rowdy up his lifeless home was an unexpected welcome. Neji hadn’t gone out to speak to them since the day at the shrine, well, see them at least. Lee observed Neji throughout most of the night and Neji knew. But there was nothing to hide, and nothing to lie about. The subject regarding what happened on that night loomed over their heads, Neji could tell. Sometimes, their silent glances during pauses in the game revealed their worry for him. But he was fine, he truly was. They made him laugh, yell, and most of all, they made him feel less lonelier than before. 

For some reason, having Sasuke here was an added bonus. The aloof man did join their parade for the oddest reason. “Because you’re a friend of Naruto, which means you’re a friend of mine,” Sasuke replied when Neji gave him a questionable look the moment the group barged through his gate. 

It was late into the night, 11pm to be exact. Others left, with the exception of Kiba, Naruto, and Chouji. Chouji fell asleep on the vacant room and Shikamaru ought to have Sasuke, Sai, Lee, and Shino help him carry the man back home. Instead, they all huddled together in Neji’s courtyard, arguing about the night and whatnot before agreeing on something he couldn’t care to hear about. And then just like that, they dispersed. 

With nothing better to do, the remaining three left Chouji in the room and opted to gaze at the moonlight under the eaves. Neji leaned on the supporting pole and crossed his arms. The night was cold, but they didn’t seem to mind. Naruto slouched onto his knees as he criss-crossed. Kiba sat in between them, leaning against the wall of his home. A passing silence went by with nothing to say. Neji took this opportunity to read the blonde man now that it was quiet. Kiba sighed loudly, exhausted from their buffoonery.

Neji finally sat down, removing his gaze from Naruto as he focused on the moonlight. It was obstructed by a single cloud. Hinata said she’d speak to Naruto. And though there were some things Neji wanted to say, he tossed it away. He didn’t like to meddle in love, seeing how well it has gotten for himself. “Neji,” he heard Naruto call to him. Kiba propped up and eyed the both of them. “You know what love is, right?”

“What are you getting at Naruto?” Kiba asked him. 

Naruto’s solemn eyes refused to look anywhere but the ground. His conscience has been clouded since the day Kiba knocked some sense to him. Indeed, everyone’s words to him woke him up from the simplicity of his nature. But Kiba, he dug a heavy scar onto Naruto’s heart. “I just— want to know what the feeling of love is.” 

Neji eyed him for a couple of seconds and turned to Kiba, he shook his head, warning the man to keep quiet for now. He then gave his attention to the blonde man, “The word love has several meanings, Naruto.” 

“The shrine lady said I don’t know what love is,” Naruto’s words trailed off, “and Kiba said I shouldn’t acknowledge it if I don’t know what it is.” His heart became heavy since that day. Many things came at him all at once. Sai told him to return home, and he did, but he did not sleep for the next three days. Kiba’s words hurt because no matter how much he tried to look at every situation the other way, his words reigned true. Every decision he made put someone else in danger. Naruto could have said he put his life on the line to bring Sasuke back when they were young, but he came back alive and spared of death. He continued to recall how distant Lee, Gaara, Temari, Kankurou, Shikamaru, Chouji, Kiba, and Neji were from Sasuke. But merely because Sasuke belonged to Konoha, they wanted to rescue him. They knew how important Sasuke was to him, and just for that reason, they stayed behind to take on enemies far beyond their expertise. Naruto wiped his tears away, “I really don’t know what love is and it’s eating me because when I look at all of you guys, I consider it love,” Kiba raised a brow, surprised at Naruto’s words. “I see love all the same.”

Neji watched as Naruto confessed his troubles to him. “And what is that?” Kiba glanced at Neji and right back at Naruto. “Why is love all the same?”

Naruto sniffed loudly. His emotions were getting the better of him. Perhaps it was because he wasn’t sober that he was so demonstrative about his feelings. “It’s the same because I care for you all, I really do,” Naruto’s eyes lingered on his hands, “when you love someone, you care for their well being right?”

“Is this about Hinata?” Kiba interjected. Neji glanced at Kiba, curious as to what the situation was about. Kiba sighed and ruffled his hair. He knew it was wrong to blurt out everything he said on that night to Naruto, but he was tired of keeping his pent up anger to himself. When Hinata cried onto his chest, that was when he broke loose. “Look Naruto, what I said-” he paused, unable to form the words he wanted to say. Neji continued to look at him for an answer. “I didn’t mean to blame you for Sasuke, it’s just— Hinata is my comrade. I’m tired of seeing her tiptoeing around you.” Kiba groaned and scooted up to Naruto, putting his hand onto Naruto’s shoulder to force the blonde man to make eye contact. Naruto glanced at him and immediately looked away. “After Pain’s invasion, she told me she confessed to you. She was eager to see you even while she was bedridden. But you never came to check on her. It’s as if she meant nothing to you. And so I was angry, and I grew tired of your non-responsiveness towards her. If you don’t feel the same way you should have told her from the beginning.”

Neji looked at Naruto again. The man refused to speak. “Hinata has waited a long time to tell you she loves you. At the expense of her life, she fought Pain knowing she’d lose because of you,” Neji looked out to the moon. The cloud had been winded away. “If you don’t know what love is just by looking at her, then your definition of love is wrong.”

“So tell me, Neji,” Naruto whispered lowly. He hated that he was so clueless to understand different types of love. All of his life he hadn’t know genuine love. How could he decipher what the feelings are? Iruka-sensei protected him because of love, because he cared for him. Jiraiya loved him because he cared for his future. It was because the love he knew growing up was care. It was to protect others. If not that then what else could it be? 

“Tell me from your own mouth that this is about Hinata, and I will tell you,” he bargained. “My cousin has waited long enough for you. If you do nothing with my information, then there’s no point in telling you.” Neji didn’t want to meddle in his cousin’s relationship, but since Naruto was opening a gateway for him to do something about it, he felt that he must do it. Hinata was determined to be the one to tell Naruto. And judging from the blonde man’s confliction tonight, it looked like their conversation, whenever that happens, could go both ways. If he could lean the balance into his cousin’s favor, he’d do it. 

Naruto balled his fists and mangled his hair messily. “I want to love her, as genuinely as you and Tenten,” he confessed. Since the day that Hinata almost died, sacrificing her life for him, he couldn’t approach her because he was cowardly. He feared that he couldn’t love her properly or care for her properly. He didn’t know if he’ll able to sacrifice himself just for one person. That seemed so selfish of himself but it was how he was. He cared for many people; he loved his village. If he were to sacrifice himself, he’d do it for the majority. 

Perhaps loving one person so strongly was what scared him from ever reciprocating Hinata’s affection for him. If he were to love her wholeheartedly, would he lose his sight of his promise to Sakura? Just the thought of it all swayed him. He didn’t want to have to choose between himself and Sakura. For her good or for his’? Naruto never wanted Sakura to cry again because he loved her. But with his promise to her kept and accomplished, he had turned hollow. 

Sakura would probably chase after Sasuke again, and it would be fine for Naruto since he could finally look back and take Hinata’s hand. The problem was that she was so far away from him now. On that night, with all of Kiba’s words, he realized how much he’s hurt her for not acknowledging her love for him. He pushed her endeavors away, putting it off until the time was right. And now, the time was right for him, but her’s no longer aligned with his’. “I want to love her correctly,” Naruto continued, “I don’t want to just care for her.” He wanted to know what true love was. Naruto didn’t want Hinata to think he loves her only because he cared for her. He wanted what Neji had. He wanted the kind of love Neji had. 

“N-Naruto,” Kiba stuttered. “I-” he stared at Neji, seeing no response from the older man. Kiba jammed his fist onto Neji’s shoulder. He darted his eyes to Naruto and right back to Neji, prompting the not so smart prodigy to reply.

Neji glared at the annoying man before directing his attention to Naruto. He uncrossed his arms and looked to the waning moon once more. It shined brightly, the veil of clouds were lifted. “Love,” he spoke. The image of Tenten came to mind. Her elegant face illuminated to the moon. He missed her but it was a sweet yearning. His heart no longer hurt when she came to mind. She’ll always be beside him. “Love is when there is a connection so deep it defies a plausible explanation,” Neji began, “you’ll know when you see it.” He imagines her amber eyes filled with a depth only he could understand, “No words are exchanged, but the same feelings are shared with every glance you make.” Naruto looked at Neji while Kiba merely leaned on the wall again with a smile perched on his lips. “Her image follows everywhere you go, it clouds up your whole being, your heart beats faster just thinking about her. And when she looks your way, even if it is by accident, your heart begins to rush. That is love.”

Naruto’s eyes widen. He immediately placed a hand to his chest, “My heart,” he said. His heart fluttered just with the thought of Neji’s definition. All along, this erratic beat that propelled with her being within his sight was called love; a genuine love. Naruto chuckled. His grin spread onto his cheeks. This feeling was so natural. Naruto couldn’t believe he brushed aside these palpitations, excusing them for an imbalance in his chakra. He didn’t really know how it worked. “Thank you, Neji,” he giggled. Kiba acted disgusted at Naruto’s over-excitement and Neji merely chuckled. “I can feel it! I’m thinking about it now and-” he screamed with glee. 

“Yo we can hear you yelling from a mile away,” Shikamaru announced their return. 

Neji’s eyes narrowed at what they brought, “You guys can’t sleep over-”

Lee hurried to the engawa anyway, “It’s just one night, Neji.”

“You of all people know how strict the Hyuuga are,” Neji berated him as he walked past him. He stood up and allowed the other four to climb onto the engawa. “I shouldn’t even have allowed you guys to stay this long.”

Sasuke passed by him with a side-eye before entering his room. “A sleepover!” Naruto jumped up and followed them.

Shikamaru sighed, handing Neji a bag full of junk food and more alcohol, “No one wanted to carry Chouji home and Sai— ugh Sai just had to bring it up.” Shikamaru walked past him and into his room. 

Neji looked at Sai confusedly as he held the bag carefully in his arms. Kiba stood up and followed after Shikamaru. “What did you bring up?” Neji asked Sai.

Sai shoved a mini book into his face and drew it back. Shino stood next to them, peering into the book. Sai pointed to a number, “Step 9, have a sleepover to strengthen the friendship.” He shut the book closed and revealed the title of the mini book. It was a book on how to start making friends. “It’s a series,” Sai added. 

Neji blinked at the ridiculousness of his friends, standing baffled as Sai walked past him. “I’m going to get an earful tomorrow.”

“If anyone mentions me tomorrow, I was never here,” Shino told Neji. Neji was even more taken aback at Shino’s comment. He blindly walked into his room where the cacophony began to rise. It wasn’t until later that Shino explained to him that there was an Aburame apart from him within the Hyuuga labyrinth. He said it was an affair of some sort and would rather not have any attention on himself. Neji reluctantly let his friends sleep over for the night. He didn’t know why Sasuke would go out so far for Naruto to subject himself to this type of torment. But seeing the Uchiha getting closer with the others was a highlight of the gathering that occurred tonight. 


	34. Testing Charades

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee, Neji, and Tenten sits by the dango shop after training. Tenten asks if they are going to the Spring Festival. This prompts Lee to take all three of them to a yukata shop.

“I’m telling you this year’s seasons are getting confused,” Neji heard Tenten complain. It was the middle of March when Winter finally subsided. It was also the area in time where he received an earful from Hiashi for letting his friends sleep over for a night. Now, it was the beginning of May. Neji would sum up the time between March and May as a “testing” of his relationship with Tenten. The more they continued to practice their unusual facade, the more hilarious it got. 

“Hm, right,” he replied back to her. Neji picked up a dislodged weight that fell from his right calf when they were sparring and threw it to Lee. Lee carefully caught it just so that it wouldn’t destroy the ground. The area that it first fell left a noticeable crater with the diameter of his arm on the pavement. The banning of shinobi activities outside of the village was still intact and they’ve compromised their training routine at the entrance of the village gate since no one was allowed to step out of the gates. They couldn’t just destroy village property and expect their meager stipend to cover for it. 

Tenten rebuffed his all-too-seemingly casual reply. She de-summoned her wooden staff away and glared at Neji, “No, Neji.” Tenten placed her hands on her hips, “You should’ve said something along the lines of, ‘I don’t care enough to notice’ or something like that.”

Neji raised a brow at her and chuckled, “I’ll take note of that,” he answered. He almost always replied to her suggestions with the same words. Neji found Tenten too strict with herself. She’d completely reverted back to her usual self. And if he wasn’t attentive enough, he wouldn’t have noticed the little changes in what she did despite trying to inexplicably hard to imitate her former self. 

Her responsiveness to him has slowed ever since she began to execute her charade to him. As long as their feelings were at bay, they’d be fine from harm. And when she paused to think of what she’d naturally say, because it was difficult to truly act as if she didn't harbor any feelings for him, he’d remind himself not to take note of her nuances so readily. Tenten got more rough with him too. Neji suspected it was because she’s trying to compensate for her frustration regarding their situation. He found it adorable and likened to think of her frustrated expressions the moment he returned home but he couldn’t linger on it all day. There were so many more things he could say about her, but if Neji recounted them, it’d take more than just a day.

Their exchange of words clashed most of the time. Sometimes their arguments were so similar to those back in the day. With time, he believed they’d be able to pull off their little play so flawlessly to the point where no one would be able to know that they were madly in love. Neji smiled inwardly to himself, enjoying their compromise as they all sat under the blooming tree by the dango shop. Lee laid his back onto the short-legged square bench and groaned. Their training schedule remained the same since their genin years. 

Tenten sat beside Neji as she munched on a dango. Resuming their old habits brought about faint memories of their younger days training. She didn’t think much about what occurred here back at the beginning of the year. Doing so was pointless at this point. She wondered why she’d have to think about their shared kisses by this bench if he was already beside her. Their compromise was unfair and at the same time fair. Tenten believed it was so because despite not being able to love so openly and perhaps get married in this lifetime, it fairly let her stand beside him under the ruse of a platonic relationship. She’d rather have him live long and continue to bask in their day to day lives than the contrary. 

“Tenten, don’t mind me asking but-” Lee spoke as he looked at the sunrays bleeding through the leaves from above, “what exactly was that giant thing you summoned to protect Neji?” Tenten looked back to him and continued to chew on the dango. 

Neji raised a brow at the question. Indeed, he was curious. Kakashi did say it looked like a lotus flower petal but he was too exhausted to look at it clearly that time. “I’m curious too,” Neji admitted. All this time, he couldn’t believe he hadn’t asked her about the one thing that saved him.

She swallowed the food and scratched her head. Should she tell them the whole thing or just what Lee asked? “Hm,” she hummed. “It’s one of twenty-five lotus petals,” Tenten told them. 

“Twenty-five?!” Lee shot up and stared at her with his wide eyes. She nodded. “There are twenty-four more of that gigantic thing?!” 

Tenten grinned from cheek to cheek and nodded viciously, “Yep!” 

“Why?” Lee asked.

“I told you guys I want a special weapon of my own, so I created it,” she looked both to Lee and Neji by her side. Neji was stunned. A weapon of that magnitude would surely be seen if she summoned it out in the training fields before the war. Neji was sure she developed it before then since he’s never seen the massive thing in Konoha.

Lee’s eyes shined with that of the stars, “I want to see it, Tenten!” he exclaimed.

Neji smiled at his comrade. He’d like to see it too, “How’d you be able to move it?” he asked her. When the lotus petal was summoned, it dug itself deep into the earth. Moving the massive piece of the larger weapon would be difficult. “Won’t it require a whole lot of chakra?” 

“Oh it does,” Tenten blatantly replied, “it does to summon it, but once it is, I can just control each individual piece since I’ve been harvesting my chakra into them.” Lee’s brows furrowed and he simply bit into the last bite of his dango. He didn’t understand one bit what she just said. 

Neji has heard of this type of control before. If he remembered it correctly, it was when he was forced by her to research on how to make weapons in the Konoha Archives back when they were still genin. Neji merely accepted her explanation. He hadn’t seen a weapon of such size be controlled merely through unattached chakra. To put it simply, he was probably more eager to see it than Lee was. 

“The Spring Hanami Festival is coming soon,” Tenten commented. She had been staring at the flyers all around Konoha for a while ever since they sat on the bench, “do you guys want to go?” Last year, the world was too hectic. But this year, Tenten wanted to make sure they’d spend the rest of their shinobi ban to the fullest. 

Lee threw the skewer into the trash bin and vigorously agreed. Tenten looked to him and handed him her skewer as well, “If that’s the case we have to go shopping!” He grabbed her hand and yanked her up. Tenten grinned uneasily. She quickly captured Neji’s wrist and pulled her along with him.

Neji groaned at her; he hated being dragged into one of Lee’s minor shopping spree. “I don’t want to be a part of this-”

Tenten’s face lit up when Neji interjected his refusal to Lee’s skyrocketing enthusiasm for the festival. _"_ _You sounded so much like your former self,"_ Tenten thought. “That’s better!” she beamed.

Neji’s brows furrowed for a mere second before he caught on to what she meant. He couldn’t help but smile. Perhaps they didn’t need to promise to one another to watch each other grow from afar. Neji felt as if they’ve been doing this all along: supporting each other whilst always sharing sweet and fleeting moments like these. They filled his heart, these moments with Tenten. Maybe understanding their love for each other was just a bonus to their already blooming bond. Neji took her hand into his and continued to let her drag him around Konoha. He didn’t need to say it, nor did she because they knew that deep down under, from all these layers and complicatedness that came with the label of friendship, was their undying love for one another. 

There were times when Neji feared he was too lax with the way he responded to Tenten. _“Or is it because I’ve changed?”_ Neji asked himself. He’d been standing in the middle of the yukata shop with his arms crossed as he “judged” his members. Truthfully, all his eyes were on was just her. He tried not to make it a habit but his feelings were still always at the back of his mind and they still steered him to do little things like this. Neji simply watched her interactions with Lee. She seemed so carefree when she’s with Lee but slightly less than that when she was with him. Neji knew it was due to their predicament but sometimes, he wondered if this would work. He wondered if he could stand seeing her pretending to be content. “Are you happy?”

Tenten glanced to him as she pressed a bright blue yukata onto Lee’s chest, “Huh?” 

Lee also looked to Neji as well. “Yeah!” Lee yelled. “It’s been two whole years since we’ve gone to the festival!” 

Neji didn’t think he’d actually blurt out his question so carelessly. He read her expression and she was beyond confused. “I see,” he went along with Lee’s indirect answer to him. Neji turned around and scanned the mounds of fabrics nonchalantly. He wondered if he’ll be able to ask her this question in seclusion. 

“I think you need one too, Neji!” Tenten exclaimed. She handed Lee the light blue yukata and hurried to Neji with a random patterned one. 

Tenten bugged him to turn around but Neji refused, “I have plenty already,” he told her. He merely leaned his shoulder to her direction and let her press the fabric onto his chest. Again, Neji looked at her demeanor.

Tenten puckered her lips and judged the color against his skin. She frowned, “Hm,” she hummed, “it’s a new year, Neji. Time for new clothes as well.” Tenten glanced at him, meeting his eyes briefly before jerking back, realizing that tiny specks of her feelings were showing. She walked back to where she nabbed the yukata nearby Lee and sighed, “I guess patterns are a no for you.” 

Lee stepped aside to allow Tenten to put the yukata back. It was in situations like these that made him wish he was less attentive to his friends. He hated seeing them hold back their engagements with one another just for the sake of each other. Lee found their fate to be the most disorienting. He had accepted their demoralizing promises to one another because it was their choice, but Lee disliked the fact that they’d subject themselves to be cornered at every end for him. He ought to speak to Neji about this but didn’t know if it meant anything or would change anything. Lee heard him scoff. 

Neji came to their aisle and began looking through the yukata seriously, “I can’t pull off patterns but Lee sure can.” Tenten turned to him and watched as Neji pull out a deep raspberry colored yukata with an indescribable pattern. “What do you think, Lee?” Neji looked at him with a friendly smile.

He’s changed, Lee could tell. However, he’d never let his friends think they’ve made the wrong choice to do what they did. They were trying their best to rekindle their friendship for the sake of others, for the sake of Lee. Lee lowered the bright blue yukata and accepted Neji’s choice for him, “I love it,” he answered. Neji handed it to him. 

Warmth filled Tenten’s chest. She believed she’d fall more deeply in love with Neji if he continued to be open and carefree with the three of them. He resembled the “Neji” that existed within her Infinite Tsukuyomi so much. Back then she didn’t know if he survived when the seal broke. She didn’t even have the chance to find him before being engulfed in the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Why did Tenten think he died? Why was she so sure that he died? Tenten didn’t know. Perhaps it was the reason why she let go of the reality in that dream. She feared that he was really dead in the real world. Having him alive and breathing in her dreams swayed her so easily. 

Tenten admired Neji from afar as Lee hugged him with tears streaming down his face. She laughed at the two dorks she called her friends. It was a long time waiting for the man in her dreams to finally show in real life. Quickly, Tenten concealed all of these thoughts. Thinking about it any longer did her no good. She hurried to pry Lee off before he suffocated Neji.


	35. Naruto's Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naruto is running late to the Hanami Festival. Sasuke and Sakura go to Naruto's house to check up on him. They find out Naruto's reasoning for running late is because he wants to impress Hinata. Naruto asks Sasuke to help him dress. During the festivities, Naruto finally finds Hinata and confesses to her.

It no longer snowed in Spring but it was still definitely freezing. Sakura jerkily exited her home the moment the cold atmosphere hit her skin. The sun was definitely still up but it was nowhere to be seen. Instead, the sky showed a cloudy gray canvas with blotches of orange smeared here and there. The Spring Hanami Festival would start soon and she hasn’t even made it to the rendezvous she, Naruto, and Sasuke agreed upon.

Sakura approached the cherry blossom tree near the official entrance of the festival but only saw Sasuke there. Sasuke was always punctual as usual in comparison to her who was already five minutes late. What was Naruto doing that even he was running late? Sasuke turned around to face her and she walked to him. A seemingly so nonchalant glance he gave her, she greeted him. “Where’s Naruto?” 

He shrugged, “I thought he’d be coming with you.” 

“Why’d you think that?” Sakura asked him. She didn’t expect an answer from uttering the first word. Sakura may have lost Sasuke for almost three years, but that didn’t mean she’s incapable of learning new things about him. As expected, he didn’t reply, but it’s not like she was waiting for one either. “We should go check up on him,” she told him. She looked at him, waiting for him to either comply or not. And when he finally agreed and accompanied her, they both took a distant stride from one another. 

It hadn’t been long since Sasuke returned to Konoha. Truthfully, Sakura didn’t know how to feel about having returned to his birthplace. He was not the same person she used to know and she gladly concurred to that change. Sasuke was, in a sense, out of touch with the rest of the Konoha 13. And though she knew that he was trying to create new bonds with the rest of her other friends, she felt that she was disingenuous with herself if she lied that she wanted to rekindle her bond with him. 

After everything that has happened, she’s found something she wanted to chase after. Sakura made the decision long ago that she was done chasing after someone like him. She’s reached the end of getting over him now that he’s returned to Konoha. She’s found her cause, her shinobi way. Sakura wanted to help as many people as she could. She wanted to strengthen the medical division she knew was outdated. She needed to throw her time wondering about Sasuke away and dedicate herself to her craft. Love wasn’t the only important thing in life. Someday, it would come to her and surely she knew it wouldn’t be coming from him. 

Sakura climbed the stairs to Naruto’s apartment as Sasuke followed after. These two friends of her’s were hot-headed and clueless about love. And though she didn’t know much about it like Tenten, she wanted to help them reach whatever dreams they had. She wanted to send them off to their good wives, whenever that may be. Sakura was tired of her obsession with them, but she supposed she could endure them just a bit longer until they finally settle down with their families. After everything that they’ve been through, this was the most satisfying conclusion for her to settle on. And so, Sakura discarded her foolish one-sided love with Sasuke. She had no need for it anymore because it was weighing her down. She wondered if he knew about her sudden lack of affection she used to cradle for him. Perhaps he did and that was why he hasn’t said anything. Sasuke would never ask about something from her. He was never interested. 

She knocked on Naruto’s door after seeing that the light in his room was on. “Naruto! You’re really late!” Sakura crossed her arms and tapped her foot. If they were going to be wasting even more time, they’d miss the parade. Still, there was no answer. “Naruto!” she banged on his door three times. 

A pause ensued and Sasuke too crossed his arms. Eventually, Naruto’s door cracked opened. Peering through the crack was a half-dressed man struggling to put on his yukata. They were both stunned. Naruto looked at Sakura and Sasuke with sulking eyes, “Hehe,” he laughed uneasily. Naruto poked half of his head out and eyed Sasuke’s uniformed yukata. “Sakura-chan, I need your help choosing what to wear.”

“Huh?!” She busted through his door. Sasuke merely closed his eyes and looked away. He should’ve grown used to her aggressiveness by now but it still made him flinch internally. “How are you not dressed yet?!” Naruto inched back to his bed with Sakura’s demonic aura on him as Sasuke entered his apartment and closed the door. “We’re going to miss the parade!” Sakura yelled at him. “What is wrong?!” 

Naruto cowered, defeated by his own indecisiveness. He plopped onto his bed. “S-Sakura-chan please hear me out,” his voice shook with every word. 

“It better be a good reason or I’ll destroy your stash of cup noodles!” she rolled up her sleeve to intimidate the whiskered man. She hasn’t seen the parade around four years ago and she was not going to miss out on it. 

Sasuke just leaned his buttocks onto the ledge of Naruto’s table and watched as his idiotic friends do their thing. They’ve been doing this since their genin years, maybe even during the academy days. Seeing them like this in such a familiar manner gave him some sense of warmth knowing there were some things that hadn’t changed. 

Naruto gulped and his eyes darted to the closet where he kept his secret stash of cup noodles. He hadn’t been really good with managing his stipend and couldn’t even afford Ichiraku’s Ramen anymore. “Please, not my instant noodles!” he begged. 

“You better say it!” Sakura yelled at him. Through the cacophony, she heard the large gong sound. Sakura knew that the parade began. She glared at Naruto only to be met with uneasy but solemn eyes. In an instant, her rage subsided considerably. 

“It’s really important to me,” Naruto confessed. “I want to look good today, I need to.” 

Sakura stepped back from him as Sasuke kept his eyes on them. Her motherly instincts kicked in. She immediately shook her rolled up sleeve back down, “Why do you need to, Naruto?” 

Naruto pouted and his eyes lowered. It’s been over two full months since the night he spoke with Neji. He’d been stalling on doing what Neji asked of him for too long. Naruto didn’t know how to approach the Hyuuga manor without feeling intimidated. The Hyuuga were too strict as far as he knew. The fact that Hinata never came out of the compound once, made it all the worse. It was as if she was purposefully staying far away from him, punishing him for keeping her waiting. Perhaps this was how she felt all those times when he pushed off her confession for another day. “I saw Hinata-chan enter the festival and I-” he didn’t know what to say. “I panicked.” 

“What does this have to do with your clothes?” she asked him. 

“Clearly,” Sasuke left the table and stood next to Sakura and looked at Naruto, “Naruto wants to confess to her.” 

Sakura’s widen at Sasuke’s explanation. “What?!” She yelped and leaned back from the dark-haired man. Sakura glanced at Naruto’s calm but unresting demeanor. She understood it now. The “Naruto” she knew never shied away from someone he liked and cower afterward. She’d be the first to understand this because she once was his crush. Sakura chuckled at Naruto, “I see,” she picked up the bland beige yukata spread on his bed. “You’ve made a good choice to run back home,” Naruto’s shoulders sagged even more. Sakura opened up his closet and eyed the few yukata he owned. 

Naruto watched as she stood there staring at the four yukata he’d kept but never wore. “I don’t have many like Neji-” he recalled digging into the prodigy’s drawers after getting drunk on that night with the waning moon. 

Sakura put her index finger to her lip and pouted, “How many did he have?” She wondered which of the four dull colored yukata her friend should wear. 

“Maybe over fifteen?” Naruto stroked his chin and his eyes narrowed as he tried to remember, “or was that his undies— gwak!” 

Sakura threw the beige yukata at Naruto’s face, “Geez, you’ve still no filter,” she bellowed loudly before sighing. Sasuke immediately turned around to hide his smile from them. He hated that it made him almost burst his stoic demeanor. Sakura pulled out the faded royal blue yukata and showed it to Naruto. “Here, Sasuke can help you put it on.” 

Sasuke snapped his head back at them and refused, “No.” He headed straight for the door but Sakura stopped him. 

“Sasuke, just look at him,” she told him. Sasuke couldn’t believe he actually did what she asked. Naruto stared right back at him with puppy eyes and a pouting lower lip. He was disgusted. 

Sakura pulled onto Naruto’s crossed collared undergarment and made him stand up. “You’re gonna let him confess to the woman he loves like this?” 

He looked down at Naruto’s messed up undergarment and growled, “Tch.” Of course not, he’d never let his friend go out looking like even more of an idiot. Sasuke walked over to her and took the yukata from her hand. He disliked when she was right and when he was far too selfish to think clearly. If not for Naruto being the closest friend he’s got, he would have left. 

“Hurry up you two,” Sakura said to them before opening the door and leaving. She leaned against the wall and looked at Naruto’s door. She hoped that all of their friendship would last a lifetime. Sakura also hoped that Naruto’s confession goes well as well. That way, she’d be able to send him off to someone she knew would treasure him. 

Naruto not knowing how to properly put on a yukata wasn’t his fault. Sasuke felt like he’s taken on the older brother role for his friend. His friend was an idiot in some aspects but it didn’t negate the fact that he’s begun to value their bond more and more. Sasuke straightened out the yukata on Naruto’s body and crossed his arms. He was surprised that his friend had become so serious about the idea of a long-lasting relationship with the Hyuuga girl. His eyes judged the form of the man in front of him from head to toe. “Hm,” he let out. 

Naruto raised a brow, “Am I good? Are you done?”

Sasuke shrugged, “I’m done.” 

“Yosh!” he dragged Sasuke out of the door, forgetting to turn the lights off. Sasuke groaned at Naruto’s authoritative grasp and then realized the blonde’s deforming his own yukata.

“Naruto!” Sakura hurried down the stairsteps as both men speeded down the stairs. They were going to outrun her. 

Naruto could see the festival entrance up ahead. He released Sasuke’s collar and clasped his hands together, “Finally! I’m going to confess to Hinata-ch— bwak!” He cradled his head and squatted straight to the floor. Sasuke’s punch made his head throb. 

Sasuke’s chest heaved up and down as Sakura caught up to them. If not for the limitations of the yukata, she would’ve been right behind them. Sakura saw Sasuke’s punch, and she realized why he did it. She didn’t know why her eyes went directly there, but it did. Sakura was speechless with her mouth agape as she stared at Sasuke’s ruined yukata. She looked away straight to Naruto, “Idiot,” she heard him say.

“Get up,” she commanded the whiskered man. Sakura pulled Naruto up even as he still rubbed his head, “Don't dirty your clothes.”

Naruto glared at Sasuke, almost about to curse at him before he realized what he’s done. “A-hoh,” he breathed. He looked back to the festival, afraid he might lose Hinata but couldn’t just leave Sasuke with his ruined clothes. “Mm,” Naruto thought of what to do. He didn’t know what to do.

Sakura rolled her eyes and pushed Naruto toward the festival gate, “Go, Naruto!” Sasuke’s eyes narrowed at her.

“Get back here!” Sasuke yelled at him. 

Naruto speeded off into the festival and waved to Sakura, “I owe you one, Sakura-chan!” She grinned at him nervously before turning back to Sasuke. 

Sasuke watched as he disappeared into the crowd before his eyes directed back to Sakura. “Hmph,” he turned around, trying to hide his exposed chest from her. 

Sakura scoffed and crossed her arms. “Oh please,” she chuckled. “All of a sudden you’re shy about it.” Sasuke didn’t comment on it as he tried to fix his yukata. She loosened the obi for him from behind and held onto it until he was done fixing the front. Sakura peeked at the festivities from the outside as she waited. Her mind was definitely elsewhere.

“Return it to me,” Sasuke told her. 

“Oh!” Sakura turned around placed the obi to his hand. She looked at the parade one more time and couldn’t wait any longer. 

Sasuke grabbed the obi but realized she wasn’t letting go. He looked at her and noticed that her attention no longer was on him. He supposed many things had changed about her. Sasuke didn’t know why his eyes looked into her’s when she wasn’t paying attention to him. He didn’t know why he even counted the glowing lantern lights that reflected into her eyes. Has Naruto and Neji’s spurts of love caught onto him? Before he could look away, Sakura snapped her head to him.  “Let me do it really quickly,” she snatched his obi from him. Sasuke couldn’t even refute her speedy hands. He stumbled slightly when her arms surrounded his mid-riff. He shouldn’t be holding his breath at such platonic and friendly gesture, yet he did. The feeling was odd; the feeling of being close to someone. “Done!” He heard her declare. Sasuke turned around, expecting her to shyly look up to him as she always had done back in his old memories of her. However, she wasn’t at his side. She was already fast-walking to the festival. Oh, how wrong he was about her. Sakura turned back to him and waved for him to hurry, “C’mon! I can’t leave you!” 

Why was it that her words levitated him to her? Whatever she asked him to do, he’d subconsciously do it. Sasuke found himself walking to her. And when he was within her reach, she dug her fingers into the side of his obi and pushed him toward the festival. “I can’t believe I’m tolerating you.” Sasuke glanced to her, expecting her to react or something yet she never did. He wasn’t even sure if she heard him. Sasuke turned his head away.

.

Hinata walked beside Hanabi as they entered through the cherry blossom pathways far from the festival. When she’s out of the compound, she thought more about him. What if they happen to meet? She wondered if she should continue to stall time from speaking to Naruto. Hinata knew that she needed to tell him. She was confident that she’d be able to say it in front of him. The only problem was the initial meeting. If she confronted him head on and saw his face, she wouldn’t know what to do. He still tugged on her heartstrings. Hanabi glanced at her older sister and forced a cough. Hinata looked down to her, “Are you sick, Hanabi?” 

“No actually,” she replied. Hanabi stopped walking and turned to her sister. “Why is it that you’re with me right now instead of being over there with your friends?” She glanced over to the busy streets as blossom petals fell like snow around them. 

Hinata rubbed her hands together and simpered, “I just want to spend more time with you, Hanabi,” she told her. Hanabi was smart and there was no use in lying, but it was a partial truth and a lie. Hinata merely used it as an excuse.

Hanabi squinted, her eyes crinkled as she made out their bright cousin pointing towards them, “Uh huh,” she followed shortly after. 

When nightfall came, it always got colder. “I’m serious, Hanabi.” Hinata glanced to where her sister’s attention was, “Since brother Neji isn’t supposed to take care of me nor you anymore, and since I’m not going to be the heiress, I’ve been thinking about becoming your protector—N-Naruto?” Hinata had looked to where Hanabi's attention was. She froze and gulped. “I-” 

“Naruto is coming our way,” Hanabi commented. “Isn’t this a great time to finally tell him, Hinata?” Hanabi held her sister to prevent her from fleeing. She smiled and heard the blonde man’s loud greeting toward them. “Oh man, I’m getting sick,” Hanabi began to force dry coughs in exaggeration. Hinata looked mortified at her sister’s horrid acting. And when Naruto finally got closer to them, Hanabi merely gave her a grin and turned around to wave to Naruto. “I’ve got to get home before it gets worse,” she told her older sister. Hinata glared at her sister’s two-faced character. She wasn’t ready to face him but she did not want to run either. 

Naruto jogged to them and slowed to a stop. “I’ve been trying to find Hinata-chan all night!” he grinned widely and instinctively raised his hand behind his back. “Turns out she’s with you all along Hanabi-chan!”

Hanabi smiled at him and nodded. She faked several light coughs and then felt her sister’s hand grapple her shoulder tightly. Hanabi calmed herself from flinching at her sister’s threatening touch. “The weather has taken a toll on me tonight,” she told him, “allow me to excuse myself.” She followed thereafter with a convincing hack before prying herself off of her sister’s grasp. 

Hinata’s stern eyes watched as her own sister betrayed her and leave. Naruto looked onwards to Hanabi and grinned. He wanted to be alone with Hinata anyway. Naruto turned back to Hinata and reached for her hands. “Hinata-chan-”

Before he could even clasp her hands, Hinata quickly rose her hands up to cross her arms. She didn’t want to look at him knowing how easily he’d make her go back on her words. “My hands are getting cold,” she made an excuse. Technically, it wasn’t an excuse. Perhaps holding his hands would’ve made her hand warm, but she didn’t want to. If it was going to be tonight that she confess, then she must prepare herself for it. 

Naruto drew his hand back and chuckled. “Okay,” he told her. “Let’s resume your walk,” he suggested. He looked to her face, noticing a change in her demeanor. Naruto looked down to his feet as she began to walk ahead of him. Hinata was acting strange and distant. He supposed it was what anyone would do if time had passed and the one she loved didn’t return the same affection. Naruto was determined to confess tonight.

They walked for a while, sharing no words between one another as they walked farther away from the festivities. The cherry blossoms cascaded down, resembling that of light rainfall. Hinata thought it was so beautiful of a night to witness it. Spring was a season of confessing love for one another. But for her, it was to confess her final goodbye to him. His refusal to acknowledge her love for him thorned her heart. Perhaps he was hurting too. Perhaps her refusal to let him go made her a burden to him. Hinata started taking slower strides as they walked side by side. She clearly saw how idiotic her love was for him. Maybe Neji was right; maybe love was truly what two people do. She could no longer love him on her own. She wanted to be loved as well. Was it selfish of her to want to be loved?

The sound of festivities drowned out. Naruto’s heartbeat rose faster than the tide when their prolonged walk slowed to a halt. His heart beat loudly within his chest. He wondered if she could hear it. Naruto’s cheeks began to show tints of red as he parted his lips. “Um, H-Hinata-chan,” he called to her. She didn’t budge even though he’d already turned to her. Her head laid low and she still refused to look at him. Naruto held his breath slightly and gulped, “I have something to say-”

“I’ll go first, Naruto-kun,” Hinata conjured with all her might. “Please listen to what I have to say before you speak,” she asked of him. He was in her peripherals even when she didn’t want to look his way. “I think I know what you want to say, so, you don’t have to say it,” Hinata uncrossed her arms and clasped both of her hands dearly to her chest. Her selfish memories of him poured into her mind. “I know you’re going to reject me today, but you don’t have to, Naruto-kun. I—I won’t chase you anymore.” Naruto’s heart dropped. His eyes widen as she continued to refuse to look at him. “I’ve burdened you with myself enough,” Hinata took in a deep breath and expelled them all. She mustered the courage to face him and meet his bewildered eyes. “Thank you for giving me a chance to give it my all, Naruto-kun.” She continued to look into his eyes. Does he have anything to say? Her heart was beating erratically.

Naruto didn’t know whether he should continue to confess or not. He was discouraged with her confession but at the same time, he understood every word she said. Why was everything moving so slow for him? The way her pearly eyes bore into him, how it would move slightly and search for something from him, he saw it all too slowly. His heart hurts so much now that it had come to this. “Is this what you want,” he asked her. He watched as her eyes lowered. She nodded at him. Naruto’s eyes fluttered at the situation they were in now. 

If he told her sooner how he felt, would she still give him the same answer? He took a tiny step back from her to give her the space she seemingly wanted. Why was he giving up already? Naruto mentally shook his head. He told her he had something to say and he was going to say it. “What I have to say, I’ll say it now.” Hinata nodded once more. Naruto watched as her clasped hands tighten. Again, it moved slowly. Perhaps time purposefully moved slowly when it came to noticing the little things she did. Even her quickly fluttering bashes of her eyelids came to him force by force. But she’d already made her decision, and even if he couldn’t make her change her mind, he had to give his most sincere words to her. “I love you.” Hinata shot her eyes up to him but he wasn’t looking at her anymore. Naruto’s eyes lingered on the ground as he searched for the right words to say, “I thought I was doing you a favor by not giving you my confession to spare you from someone like me,” his words ran out of his mouth. “I thought I didn’t deserve you, but the more I think about it, the more I can’t keep you out of my head.”

Hinata was speechless. Her mind was in a crisis. Everything she did always turned out wrongly. She was wrong to destroy her cousin’s life when she spouted his personal conversation with Tenten and she was wrong now to not let the man she loved speak first. She was so afraid to say anything back to Naruto. 

“But this is what you want,” Naruto expelled with the lasts of his breath. The thorn she punctured in his heart would forever stay there, but he must carry on the pain. She was a delicate thorn and it was he who let her push it into his body. It wasn't her fault. Naruto looked to her and grinned widely. He should at least be happy for her, “Thank you, Hinata-chan for loving-” Naruto felt her arms come to him. She willingly embraced him with all of her might. Naruto gasped and instinctively put his arms around her shoulders. Now he finally realized their height gap. Could he smile? He didn’t know if this was their last goodbye or if it meant something else. 

“I love you, Naruto-kun, I still do." Love was something two people did. Hinata couldn't help but smile. She didn't cry. "I should've let you speak first." 

Naruto huffed, "We can always confess again." He could smile with sincere love. She’s reassured him that he could smile for her. Naruto embraced her more tightly and chuckled. His heart immediately set aflame a burning passion to do all that he could for her. He’d never let her go again.


	36. Sai's Painting Booth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke contemplates his feelings for Sakura as they shared a vacant table behind Sai's painting booth at the Hanami Festival.

Sakura remembered why she hadn’t gone to the Spring Hanami Festival for over four years. It was mentally and physically exhausting to stand in the frigid cold and pretend that everything was fun. She couldn’t even go home yet because Naruto hadn’t returned to get his drawing done by Sai. Come to think of it, she didn’t even know why Sai got a booth in the first place. The only good thing that she got out from the booth was the table and set of chairs that situated itself behind Sai’s miniature stall. She looked at the pale man sketching a little girl’s face. She supposed he’d be a subpar artist living off the streets or something. Sakura banged her head on the table and groaned loudly, “When is Naruto coming back?!” 

Sasuke leaned an elbow onto the table and propped his chin. He was thankful to have a seat here instead of standing. The festival was so packed that he would’ve exploded if not for the fact that it was his home and his people. Hearing Sakura’s frustrated concern for Naruto made him think about a lot of things that happened while he was away. For now, all his thoughts had to do with her and everyone she hung out with. Sasuke didn’t know why he’d subject himself to her antics when he’d rather surround himself with the other male friends that Naruto had. Come to think of it, Naruto made a whole lot of friends. He also became more independent these days leaving Sakura and him to figure out what to do for the rest of the day. 

Perhaps that was the reason why he was always stuck with her. Naruto, most of the time, always left him with her. Maybe he didn’t hang out with the others because he didn’t know them that well. Sasuke pondered these thoughts as Sakura banged her fists lightly onto the table. He supposed he’s more comfortable with her but probably less with Naruto. He glanced at her as she abruptly shot back up to rub her forehead. The more he looked at her, the more he noticed how much she’s changed toward him. Her initial affection for him was gone. From time to time, she’d blush but it no longer was for him. Shouldn’t he be relieved? Sasuke didn’t know. All those affections she had for him, all of those care, she’s only displaying them for Naruto now. “Why are you so concerned with Naruto?” he asked her. 

Sakura glanced at him as she stopped rubbing her forehead. “Because he’s an idiot,” she told him. “Naruto is barely getting out of his initial phase and beginning to look at the world with multiple possibilities and I can’t help but try to make sure he won’t get hurt.” Naruto may be her friend, but she saw him as a little brother. All the things they’ve gone through together made him stronger, but it also hurt him in the process. “He may look mature, but deep down, he’s still the naive genin we used to know.” Sakura crossed her arms and looked back out to Sai; he was already drawing a new customer. “I just need to care for him until he’s settled then he’ll be out of my hair,” she blew a heavy huff and drew her head back with her eyes closed.

Sasuke gazed at her little movements. The answer that she gave to him, he wondered why it suddenly wasn’t applicable to him. “Your care doesn’t reach me, does it?” he asked her. Sasuke was, in short, curious why it didn’t pertain to him, “Because, I feel like I need it right now.” 

Sakura shot her eyes open and she snapped her head back to look at him. “You need my care?” she asked him. Sasuke turned away, mimicking her posture and leaning back from the table. He just wanted her to look his way like she used to. Sakura’s brows furrowed and she cocked her head to one side. It felt as if he was strumming her frozen heartstrings but there no longer was a tune to be played. She chuckled and grinned to him, “You know I’m also watching out for you too Sasuke-kun-” Sasuke listened to her words. Why was she so cheery while he wasn’t? “Until you get married and settle down and I’ll finally be free from both of your mischiefs.”

“I see,” he dully remarked, “this is how it is.” 

“Mm-hm.”

He glanced at the passersby as Sai centered his vision. She said she cared for him but he couldn’t see it. There was no one in the village he was as close to as she and Naruto were to him. He didn’t want to be alone anymore. Yet even with so many people around him with his name on their lips like cherry blossoms floating in the night sky, the only lips he wanted his name to be called from was the woman who seemingly forgot about him.

.

“Sakura?” 

Sakura turned her head to Ino who passed by Sai. She brought along Shikamaru and Chouji. “Oh, Ino.”

“Geez I’ve been needing to rest my feet!” Ino plopped onto the chair next to Sasuke and stretched out her legs. “There’s literally no place to even stand out there!”

“Mind if we join, Sasuke?” Shikamaru invited himself to the table anyway. 

Sasuke pressed his lips thinly, “Invite yourself in,” he said as Chouji squeezed past him to sit next to Sakura. Ino too didn’t seem to fond of him either. It looked like everyone had grown out of their phases but he hadn’t. It looked like they’ve moved on past his treacherous acts against Konoha yet he couldn’t even move past his old views of them. He recalled when Sakura and Ino would always argue about who’d get to be his’. And now that he’s picked up on their habits, they’ve become inseparable friends. 

He listened to their mundane conversations for about a half hour as his eyes overlooked the bustling streets. It was about 10 pm now but the festivities hadn’t died down at all. While they talked, he recounted all the things they did today. Sasuke faintly remembered the Spring Hanami Festival. His memories fogged when he tried to remember when the last time was that he participated in it. Regardless, he wanted to be at least, a bit content about today. Sakura wasn’t the most fun person to experience hanami with, but she was the only person he’s got. These new memories would soon replace the old ones. He only wished that he had the old Sakura back so that he’d retain the memories of his first festival back in Konoha as a truly wonderful experience and not a lonely one. He didn't want her to be here with him because she had to, but because she wanted to. That was what bothered him the most. 

“Do you miss her?” Sasuke heard Ino ask. He turned to her with a confused look. Had she been spying on him with her kekkei genkai? Did she know that he wanted Sakura back?

Ino glanced back at Sasuke weirdly and turned back to Shikamaru. “Do you?”

“I hate it when you bring her up,” Shikamaru leaned back on his chair with both his hands behind his head. 

Ino pouted and crossed her arms, “Temari and you meet like once every two years for the Chuunin Exams, how do you even develop a relationship out of that?” Sakura laughed at their bickering. 

Shikamaru sighed a long breath and closed his eyes. His friends wouldn’t know what commitment was, well, maybe Neji did but that was a different matter. He shut his ears to his friends berating him. They’re merely joking to pass the night by. Within the conscience of his mind, Temari always appeared in his mind.  _ “If we meet again the next ten times, and you still feel the same, then I’ll come to you.” _ Her words echoed in his mind. They’ve only completed seven of their ten promises. Once the shinobi ban gets lifted, and when they see each other again, he thought he’ll shorten their promises to eight. 

“Look there he goes again,” Ino pointed to Shikamaru. “Thinking about her again?” Chouji, Sakura, and Ino laughed as he merely pressed his lips tight and yawn. He couldn’t wait until Ino found her mate and get out of his hair. 

Sasuke glanced at Shikamaru for a few seconds. He ought to get closer to these friends of his since they’ve considered him theirs’. “He acts like he’s not interested but still listens,” Sakura’s voice caught his attention. Whenever she said something so vaguely like that, it always drew him in. 

“Men are like that,” Ino sighed and crossed her legs. “Well, except Chouji.”

Sakura had been staring at Sasuke, and he'd just noticed. His eyes met her’s and he immediately looked away first. It seemed as though he was right about her. What she said was about him. 

Sakura glanced at Chouji and she grinned. “Say, Chouji,” she initiated, “is there anyone on your mind?” 

Chouji stared blankly at her, “Nope. I’m too young to think about those things.” Sasuke mentally scoffed but then he stopped. 

What was he scoffing for? Was he disagreeing with Chouji’s reply? Sasuke tried to brush off his initial brain fart but couldn’t. Why was it that Chouji of all people had the most mature wisdom of all his friends? He then recounted what Chouji said to Naruto back at the mountain shrine. Sasuke glanced at the bigger man and pouted. Chouji was right about being too young to be in love, but Sasuke didn’t think that’ll apply to him now. He didn’t want to admit it now, but he believed he was caving to his pink-haired teammate. Sasuke resumed his activity of looking out to the image of people passing by Sai’s stall. He didn’t know if he was falling in love with the old Sakura or the one right now.


	37. Secret Mission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji and Tenten plan to visit the Shrine again. While returning to the festival, Neji seeks Sasuke and Shikamaru to debrief on the Secret Mission they've been executing since the shinobi ban.

Cherry blossom petals drifted down to the river below their feet. Tenten leaned on the red bridge rails with her forearms crossed as the sound of calm water flowed through the tiny breeze of the wind. There were no lampposts here in the cherry blossom paths. Only the moon emitted their light in the darkness. Neji was right beside her, though a little too far away for her to reach with her hand. The corner of her lips curled as they shared a moment of seclusion from the festival. Only a few passersby came their way. They’ve walked too deep in the cherry blossom paths to be constantly met with people strolling by. 

Tenten looked out to the dark waters. It resembled so much the black water she always stood on whenever she entered the gates of destiny. He didn’t say anything to her ever since they trekked through the paths. He hadn’t said a word at all. Tenten wondered if he was thinking about what she was thinking. Were they just admiring the scenery in silence or were they both admiring each other? He leaned onto the bridge rails too, clasping his hands as his forearms supported his weight up. “A while ago, you asked me if I was happy,” she commented. 

Neji’s eyes lowered to the moon’s reflection on the surface of the water. “I did?” He pretended not to know. 

“You did,” Tenten glanced at him. Their distance wasn’t so far, maybe just a yard and a half but it was too big. “At the yukata store, remember?” 

He pretended to think for a while, “Ah, that.” Her eyes were on him, he could tell. Neji turned to her and met her gaze. Their distant looks reminded him of the tragedy that was theirs. “Why do you mention it?” 

Tenten’s eyes lowered to his arm, breaking their shared gazes, “I don’t know, I thought you’d ask me again but you never did.” 

“Then, should I ask you again?” 

“Ask me again,” she told him, “under the same circumstances you were in when you said it.” Her eyes fluttered back to meet his’. 

Neji saw a blossom petal brush past her cheekbone. He almost forgot how lovely she looked under the moonlight. It was such a coincidence that every intimate memory of her in his mind always had the backdrop of the night. They said they’d love so openly, yet they hide it from the sun. “Are you happy with the way things are now?” he repeated his question to her. “Are you satisfied with how we’re charading?” Tenten couldn’t bring about an answer so quickly. Neji turned to her but held himself back from coming any nearer to her. If it were not for her safety, he would have pulled her into his arms. Tenten turned her head back to face the river but her eyelids never fluttered higher than before. “If you’re tired of it all, we can stop-”

“Stop?” Tenten asked interrupted him. She faced him and bit her lower lip, “Neji, I am okay with how we’re charading.”

“But you’re not happy.”

“Of course I’m not,” she confessed. “I’m constantly afraid that whatever I do might affect you.” She turned back to look at the glistening river. “Maybe I shouldn’t have stopped the shrine keeper from reading aloud our fate.”

Neji cocked his head at her, “What do you mean?” He didn’t care enough for their fate. They’ve gone past that point and he didn’t see any reason to linger on such a depressing conversation.

Tenten interlocked her fingers and sighed. “The shrine keeper said the circumstances for us were lenient. Maybe we should return and have her decipher it to us.” She glanced at him, “That is, if you want to.”

“Why do you want to know it?” Neji asked. “We’ve already made the decision for us.”

“I know, but if there are better ways to approach you, I’d want to know. Don’t you?” 

Neji sighed and a smile came to his lips. She made him smile so easily. “If you keep focusing on us and how to make our situation better, then how are you going to reach your dreams?” Certainly, her dreams did not revolve around him. He wanted better for her too. 

“I’m working on that,” Tenten replied to him. She grinned, feeling their distance shrink. “Becoming Konoha’s first legendary weapon’s mistress takes time and recognition.” 

Neji chuckled. “Shall we make time and go tomorrow?”

Tenten nodded, “We gotta let Lee know training is canceled tomorrow then.” She ought to find Lee and tell him tonight. Neji and Tenten returned to the festival as slowly as they could. They wanted to enjoy the serenity together for just a little longer.

As they came closer to the festival entrance, Neji noticed an odd occurrence. Something was definitely not right. The moment they reached one of the entrances to the festival, Neji eyed his left and then his right. He looked at the ornaments dangling above them. It wasn’t even swaying against the mild wind. Just outside of the festival, the windy current blew and scattered cherry blossom petals all around. Despite the village’s dense infrastructure, he was more than positive that wind would flush and breeze through the buildings especially on a gusty night such as this one. Neji parted with Tenten with a short goodbye and was on the lookout for two particular people.

Neji sped past Sai’s painting booth in a haste and caught Sasuke staring right back at him. The prodigy glanced their way and briefly halted. “Uchiha Sasuke, follow me.” Sasuke blinked twice, bewildered at the command. 

Everyone at the table was beyond speechless. Sasuke cleared his throat and got up, “Don’t wait for me Sakura.” Sakura was even more dumbfounded. She glanced at Ino and Ino had the same exact expression at her. Sasuke nonchalantly walked out of the booth as Sai watched them leave. 

Shikamaru was taken aback at the exchange. He wanted to inquire more but the night took a toll on him. He yawned and stretched his arms up high and out back. “I’m gonna head home,” he stood up and left. Ino didn’t even know what to say. 

“Please tell me that did not just happen,” Sakura expelled in shock. She stared blankly at the empty space her comrade formerly occupied.

.

.

_ Neji straightened his kimono before entering the Hokage’s office. He’d just run all the way from the Southeast Hall after his uncle told him so belatedly that he was needed here. Neji opened the door and found the Hokage reading over mounds of papers. He hurried in and closed the door. Neji greeted him, “Hokage-sama.” _

_ Kakashi nodded his head and set the paper down. “Judging from how late you came, I suppose you’ve already heard the news about the ban?” _

_ “Yes.” _

_ “Perfect,” Kakashi clasped his hands together and put his elbows on the table. He eyed the prodigy, “Well I don’t really want to spend the whole day telling you your merits for Konoha but all in all, you’re considered a Hero of Konoha,” Kakashi hummed, “and I’ll have a plaque sent to you along with the others after,” his last words dragged on. Kakashi’s tired eyes lingered on all the paperwork on his desk, some were stacked as high as the ceiling. “After all these papers are filed I suppose.” _

_ Neji merely glanced at the several stacks of paper, “Thank you, Hokage-sama.” He swore that he was needed for something much more than a congratulatory message. _

_ “Hm, well,” Kakashi continued, “I’ve got a mission for you.” Neji’s ears perked. If they were banned from leaving the village then the mission must be an inside job. “The war is over but everyone is still scrambling to take land. Until all kages meet to finalize on peace treaties, I’ll need you to be both my eyes and ears within the village. Konoha cannot take any chances to allow spies to leak information out to other villages. If you sense something suspicious— oh wait!” Neji was thrown out of his serious mood. Kakashi rubbed his temples and groaned. “Ugh, I forgot to tell you your two team members,” he sighed. “Normally, I’d give you the title to be the team leader since you’re a Jonin but I had a dream that you walked past a black cat and so I gave it to Shikamaru.”  _

_ Neji couldn’t even comprehend Kakashi’s logic. Regardless, he stood with a stoic face. “If the mission is to collect suspicious intel, shouldn’t the rest of Konoha 13 be in on it?” That route was the most logical one to him. The more eyes and ears, the more efficient it’ll be to execute the mission flawlessly for the whole year that the shinobi are banned from leaving the village.  _

_ Kakashi leaned back onto his chair and yawned, “Yeah but those kids should enjoy their days off.” Neji resumed his stoic face. Clearly, he and Shikamaru were more suited for the mission.  _

_ “Who is the last member?” _

_ Kakashi glanced at Neji, “It’s Sasuke.” Neji was slightly stunned but agreed to the selection. “In July when the Kage Summit is held, I’ll need you three to accompany me for the ten days there.” _

_ “Understood.” _

_ “Don’t let anyone find out about this mission,” Kakashi warned him. _

_ Neji nodded. _

.

.

The wind blew profusely just two blocks down from the main festival area. Neji led Sasuke to a dead silent path. Only a couple of lights lit through the dark street. He stopped walking and listened for any followers; there were none to be found. The rendezvous point was a closed mini tea house. Neji slid the door open and entered. Sasuke followed suit and closed the door. Neji then activated his byakugan in the darkness, trying to see if anyone was nearby within sixty meters. When he concluded that it was safe to divulge, he turned to Sasuke and snapped once. Sasuke then turned on the lights of the tea house. Moments later, the door opened and Shikamaru entered. It was a briefing. They stood in the middle of the room, all three with their arms crossed.

Shikamaru glanced to Sasuke and gave him a nod. Sasuke closed his eyes briefly and opened them. “The new faces,” Neji stared that the stoic man. “Refugees that were the last few to enter before the gates closed, there’s an inconsistency.”

“Any new movements from the five we’ve identified?” Shikamaru asked.

“Yes,” he replied. “They’re constantly being relocated to areas with high vantage points the last half of the year but just last week they’ve settled on the low ground.”

Neji raised a brow. “Doing so makes them more vulnerable to be seen.”

“Precisely,” Sasuke added. “All five are in the festival right now.”

“Keep an eye on them until we’re done debriefing Neji,” Shikamaru insisted.

“Got it,” Neji closed his eyes and immediately activated his byakugan, earning a slight stare from Sasuke. “They’re all in my sight,” he located them easily. 

Sasuke looked away from the veins that came with Neji’s eyes. He must admit that before he fought with Kaguya, he’d never seen the byakugan in action before. “What did you find, Neji,” Shikamaru interrupted Sasuke’s little side thought.

Neji recounted what he discovered after his argument with Tenten. When he returned to the festival, it felt as if he walked into an air vacuum. “Throughout the whole time that we’ve been collecting intel, the wind has never once stopped its course over Konoha.” Shikamaru raised a brow at the prodigy’s discrepancy pertaining to the detail of the debriefing. “Just now, when I returned to the festival, I noticed the lack of draft within the festivities.” His eyes shot open and he stared directly in front of him, “It’s merely speculation but I believe our mission just got turned up a notch.” 

Within his vision of the byakugan, as Neji was more comfortable saying it than the mukōgan, he kept all five of the suspects within his focus. The ring around his pupils brightened and the painful pulsation began to come. Neji saw the five suspects’ manipulation of air surrounding them. 

“Do tell,” Sasuke prompted.

Neji squinted as he witnessed a minute but precise gust of wind pass through from one suspect to the other, “They’re communicating by controlling the wind.”

“What?” Shikamaru was flabbergasted. “They’re no ordinary shinobi. Can you see how it’s done, Neji?”

“They’re purposefully distilling and manipulating the wind right now where they stand,” Neji clarified. “The lack of air movement within the festival allows them to weave air throughout to each other. My eyes cannot decipher what’s being said.”

Sasuke tilted his neck to one side and closed his eyes, “Too bad they’ve been found out just as their tactics changed.” He glanced at Neji’s eyes once more, curious about the byakugan. 

Shikamaru scratched his head and sighed, “Who in Konoha can read the wind?” It was hopeless to say who could. “I should run this by Kakashi-sama right after-”

“I’ve one more thing to say,” Neji halted Shikamaru.

“What is it?” 

“Shino told me there was an outsider having an affair with one of our clan members. He said it was from his clan, but I’ve been on the lookout for this man and it seems like it’s one of our suspects.”

Sasuke recalled hearing those words of exchange on that night but didn’t think much about it. “What makes you so sure?” Sasuke asked.

Shikamaru tightened his fists, “An Aburame as a suspect?”

“Most likely,” Neji replied. “The suspect doesn’t carry the Aburame trademark jutsu though.” He eyed the suspect, finding no trace of any bugs on the person of interest.

“He’s most likely a detached lineage,” Sasuke added on. “It’s better if Shino joins the mission and-

Shikamaru felt as if his brain was going to explode. He definitely needed to tell Kakashi in this instant. “Why would a clan member return to a place where they willingly left?” Shikamaru pondered. “Before we can go any further, I’ll have to get this intel to Kakashi-sama right away.” They both nodded. Shikamaru eyed the two of them and huffed. “Neji, there has to be a better way to subtly tell us you’ve needed a debriefing. Others are catching on. They're coming, aren't they?”

“We’ll figure something out,” Neji replied. His eyes saw the friends sitting at the table walking to their unsubtle hideout. Sasuke sighed and rubbed his forehead. Shikamaru chuckled and headed out the door. The moment he left, Neji deactivated his byakugan. “Just play along, Uchiha.” 

Sasuke rolled his eyes and turned off the lights. Neji turned toward the way they came, he knew sooner or later Chouji, Sakura, and Ino would come and find them. Sasuke crossed his arms and followed in Neji’s path.

Sakura approached them with Ino and Chouji walking behind. Her eyes narrowed and she stared at Neji, “What are you two up to?” 

“Why would you suddenly ask for Sasuke out of all people?” Ino proceeded. 

“Don’t tell me you’re sharing-”

Neji immediately cut Chouji off, “Sasuke asked for a spar earlier today,” he walked past the three of them, “we’re merely finalizing the event.”

Sakura was thrown out of her mind. “Spar?!” she turned to Sasuke, “Are you crazy?!”

“We won’t destroy anything,” Sasuke brushed past her and followed Neji’s steps.

Chouji hummed as he thought of what to say, “Why would Sasuke want to fight Neji?”

“Neji at least would keep in mind of his surroundings but Sasuke,” Sakura heaved, “that idiot destroys whatever he touches whenever he fights.” They watched the two prodigies mix into the festival crowd. 

Sasuke stared at the Hyuuga’s back for a while longer. He didn’t know why he was still following him. “You’ve something to say?” Neji stopped walking and turned toward him. 

Sasuke snickered and looked into the whitish orbs, “Actually, I do think it’ll be good training to spar with you, Hyuuga.” 

Neji turned around and began walking, “You fought with a God. Training with someone lower than you does you no good.” Sasuke pouted and turned the other way. Neji’s words may sound pleasing to the ear, but Sasuke had a feeling that this friend hid more abilities than he showed.


	38. Light at the Flower Shop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ino discovers a peculiar piece of paper mounted onto her wall beneath a light fixture. The paper escapes her mind as Tenten and Neji walked by her flower shop.

The festivities continued throughout the night right before Ino’s eyes. She, Sakura, and Chouji returned to the little table behind Sai’s drawing booth a while ago. And when Chouji left, Sasuke returned to take in her teammate’s absence. Her conversation with Sakura had to halt. Her friend blindly scolded Sasuke for half an hour. And then came the long-awaited Naruto that Sakura and Sasuke had been waiting for. It’s just that he came with Hinata stuck to his side. Ino thought she was dreaming when she saw Hinata’s delicate hands laced around the blonde man’s fingers. Her mind was blank, staring at the passersby that came through as she half-heartedly listened to the conversation around her. She didn’t know what she was still doing here. 

Ino excused herself from them. She was squeezed in between two pairs of couples and it suffocated her. Ino glanced at Sai’s painting as she went out. He hasn’t gotten a customer for the past hour but his canvas was blank. Ino scoffed and walked toward her flower shop. Spring was the season of love but it wasn’t coming to her.  “So much for planning other people’s love life when I should be doing it for myself,” she rubbed her arms to shake away the cold collecting on her skin. Ino strayed far away from the festivities. Her flower shop was several blocks away from the jolly block.

“Why are my flower stand lights on?” Ino stared at it from afar. The street where her flower shop stood had flourishes of lights here and there. It was deserted, contrary to the festival. Standing alone in the middle of the street, Ino finally felt what it was like to be alone at the end of the day. Without friends beside her, the type of emptiness lingered like the flower stand lights. It waits for something, anything, to come and present itself to the light. 

Ino was perplexed as she walked toward the lights on her shop wall. She won’t be able to turn it off until tomorrow when she opens the shop. “I guess you only attract me,” she stopped at the lonely light. Her eyes circled the rim of the light. With her father gone, she hasn’t been able to truly mourn. She always told herself she needed to move on quickly because she needed to do it for her mother.  _ “Your father would’ve loved to hold his grandchildren, you know how much he loved you.” _ Ino lowered her head and her lips began to quiver. It was easier said than done. She beamed with sunshine, like a field of flowers waiting to be picked but not even a bee would admire. 

Behind the veil of Ino’s smile was her depressive mind. She shouldn’t feel this way, especially after seeing and feeling all the good things that came after the war. Yet, her lies of being better and feeling better were just a ruse to distract herself from all of her incompetencies. If Ino was better at her medical skills, perhaps she’d be able to save her father. If she was stronger, she’d probably be able to save more people in her father’s demise. However, Ino couldn’t be better, she couldn’t do better. Her teacher told her to not let her friend surpass her, but she even let him down. Ino wasn’t dedicated to anything strong enough to excel in it. She was only ever interested in the floristry that came with the Yamanaka clan. Ino could say that she’s a notable botanist but never to the height of her father’s skills. 

Acquiring skills came with time, but she couldn’t wait for it. She couldn’t handle the pressure she placed upon herself. It was ludicrous of her because not even her mother expected much from her. Ino was like a two-sided jest, masquerading the idea of happiness to avoid the guilt and shame of not meeting anyone’s expectations. Still, she looked to the light. If she met her lover, would her personal self be someone’s expectations of what love was? Whoever that person was, she’d never let go. 

The next morning came agonizingly slow. Ino couldn’t sleep all night. She pondered about the light. Would her father scold her for forgetting to turn it off? Should she get up and get the keys to open the shop just to turn it off? Ino shook all those thoughts out the moment she stepped out of the door. It was time to put on the mask. 

The ring of keys jingled lightheartedly as Ino walked to the flower shop. It was the first Spring after the war and her floristry was booming. Ino made it to the shop at 6:30 am on the dot. However, she never made it to the front door. The light that was on since yesterday caught her eye. Against the chilly and mildly foggy morning where the blue skies of the sun began to rise, a blank piece of paper mounted on the wall caught her eyes. Ino stopped in her tracks and stared at it. The paper, the size of a postcard, was placed right beneath the light where the rays hit the wall. It was peculiar to her because this thing has made its way to her light. Ino looked around, checking the buildings next to her to see if they had the same blank paper on their walls. It was only on her’s. She looked at the paper again, “What does this mean?” she thought for a while. Ino wanted to take it off but its placement intrigued her. “This is vandalism, but, why is it here specifically?”

“Ino!” Ino snapped her head toward the road opening in front of her shop. 

“Tenten-san? Neji-san?” Tenten waved to her. They were about a good ten yards from each other. Seeing Tenten with Neji made Ino feel pitiful for them and for herself. They were able to find some sort of love but she hasn’t. It truly was unfair that this was their fate. Ino waved back to them with a tiny grin. Perhaps her fate too was to die without love. “Why are you guys up so early?”

They’ve finally reached her shop. “We’re going back to the mountain shrine,” Tenten told her. Ino was preoccupied with something else instead of Tenten’s answer to her question. The distance that her friends stood apart from one another ached her heart. Ino wondered if it must hurt Tenten’s heart to stand next to the person she couldn’t openly love. “Ino?”

Ino blinked from her daze, “Huh?” 

“Are you feeling well? Did you catch a cold? Fever?” Tenten asked her, “Yesterday night was quite cold-”

“Oh yeah, I’m fine, just a little groggy,” she lied.

Ino felt Neji’s intense stare and she gulped. Tenten sympathized with her, “We better get going, I’ll stop by later,” she replied back to Ino.

“Oh, okay,” Ino belatedly responded back. She watched them go. Ino sighed. Their platonic charades always made her uneasy because she knew, within that old facade of theirs, laid the secrecy of their love. No one but Konoha 13 knew of their shared kisses. No one knew it was inevitable for them to ever be together. Ino shook her head to try and dispel the depressing thoughts of her friends. She turned to the flower shop door and opened it. 

The flowers of the day were peonies. Spring was coming to an end and she felt that this type of flower would be the best transition into the new season. Ino dragged out the flower stand and got ready to work. With her father gone, she had to manage the shop until her mother recovered from her initial flu. She pulled out the chalkboard sign and erased yesterday’s flowers. Ino then hung the newly written sign beside the door and went inside to refill a water spray bottle just as the hour hit 7:30 am. 

Ino flipped through one of the several books her father inscribed. She’s read through almost half of them, memorizing each plant and their uses as the day slowed down. She’s closed the store around noon when the shop was empty of flowers. The golden rays split through the window as she leaned an elbow onto the high counter while she flipped through to the next page. It was quiet with the muffled common noises outside. She hadn’t eaten lunch yet but didn’t mind being hungry for a little while. “This would be combined with deer antlers-” The bell atop her door rang. Ino looked up and saw Sai standing before her. “Sai, we’re closed.”

She watched as he looked around her shop. Ino bookmarked her page and closed it. “Have you seen something like this?” He walked up to the counter and placed a blank piece of paper on her book. He looked utterly pissed for someone who didn’t show much emotion at all.

“What is this?” she asked him. Ino raised a brow and thought about it. “Actually I have!” She hurried out of the counter and pushed the door open. Sai followed after her with much discontent. Ino looked to the paper on the wall underneath the light but it wasn’t there. “It’s— huh? It’s not here.” She turned to him, “Wait a second-”

Sai handed out the paper to her. “Please take a look at it closely, I’ve been waiting since dawn.” Ino’s heart skipped a beat. She carefully took the paper from him and brought it to her face. 

“Please go out on a date with me,” she blatantly read it aloud. There was a point to when her brain stopped working. She’d never gotten any letter to this extent and it shocked her on how much she was incapable of confronting the person right in front of her. She’s never been asked out by anyone before. “Why?”

Sai blinked at her question to him. “Because you’re beautiful.”

Ino would’ve thought he was bluffing if it weren’t for him being Sai. She wasn’t as close to him as she’d like to be but she suppose this could strengthen their friendship. “I don’t like you in that way, Sai,” Ino tried to nicely explain to him, “but we can go on a lunch date!” 

“I also don’t like you,” Sai told her off. Ino was taken aback. Did they both just reject each other? Sai may be a blunt person, but he was adept in reading what people were. He may not know what they were feeling but he knew when they were the most vulnerable. “I just want you to stop looking disheartened. There should be no reason to look that way when you’re beautiful.” 

Ino chuckled, displaying her facade to perfection. “There aren’t any reasons,” she walked past him back inside the flower up, “that’s just my resting face.” Sai watched her as she locked up the store. “Let’s go on a date, I’m starving.”


	39. Returning to the Shrine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji and Tenten share a brief training lesson while they wait for the Shrine Keeper.

Neji sat in the same shrine room as last time when he first came. Except for this time, Tenten was right beside him. The shrine keeper kept them here for the time being as she was in the middle of her morning ritual. They exchanged brief conversations to pass time. He asked her if she enjoyed her time yesterday night, seeing as how there weren't much he could have asked. To ask about the weather was too plain. She never really liked talking about the weather. Tenten replied with mundane things. She was the most inadequate when it came to describing how an event was, especially the Hanami festival last night. " _The festival was fun, I enjoyed it."_ She would then give him a glance, clueing him that it was because she spent it with him that she felt that way.  Neji crossed his arms and closed his eyes, “I guess you enjoyed everything except me.”

Tenten rolled her eyes at him. “I actually did.”

He scoffed, “You’re such a loser.”

“A loser you happen to adore.”

Neji opened his and narrowed them. He’ll admit it, she has a smart mouth, “Ok, you win.”

“Yes!” Tenten hissed.

“Just not when you’re training with me.”

Tenten snapped her neck at him and punched him on the arm. “I would beat you up this instance if not for the fact that we’re here.” Neji rubbed his arm and chuckled. She glared at him. “I mean it,” she threatened. Tenten watched his eyes crinkle when he genuinely laughed. She flipped around, refusing to face his way. To herself, Tenten smiled. There had to be a day where she would be the one to make him cackle. Tenten hadn’t heard him even giggle in her life. 

“Ahem,” they both look out to the opened door and saw an apprentice standing before them. “The head shrine keeper will see you now.”

Neji rose to his feet, as did Tenten and they both followed the apprentice to the secluded room where the shrine keeper rested. “I do apologize for the wait,” the shrine keeper told them. They sat onto the cushion placed before them. The shrine keeper fluttered her eyes and stared at Tenten. She then directed her pupils to him. For a long while they sat in silence. The shrine keeper was regaining her memories of them slowly. “Ah,” she mouthed, “Here we are.” The shrine keeper simpered, “How many times has either of you been near death?”

Tenten looked to Neji and he ushered her to speak first, “A shinobi’s life is always on the line whenever they take on missions-”

“How many times have you been near death?” The shrine keeper interrupted her. 

Tenten’s eyes briefly widened, “I’ve never been pushed that far.”

“As I’ve thought. And you, Young Master?”

Neji raised a brow to her classification of his status. He quickly brushed it off. How many times had he been on the brink of death? Neji could only recount so little, “Two.”

“One, Young Master,” The shrine keeper corrected him. “It was when you were on the mission to retrieve one of our Heroes of Konoha, Uchiha Sasuke.”

“Two,” Neji insisted. “I foresaw my own death in the war but I was saved.”

“Your life was supposed to end at that moment, Young Master.” The shrine keeper glanced to Tenten, “however, she’s pulled the string of fate and altered the length of your death.”

“I was selfish,” Tenten said. “But if I was given the same circumstance, I’d do it again.”

The shrine keeper chuckled and raised her hand to her lips to hide her indecency. “There is no need to do it again.” Tenten’s brows furrowed. “Because you meddled with someone else’s life, you’d no longer be gifted with supernatural sight after this lifetime.” Tenten winced and held both her hands together on her lap. The shrine keeper noticed her fidgeting habit. “I’ll let you know a peculiar thing.” Neji couldn’t say anything to comfort Tenten. The shrine keeper’s eyes bore onto Neji’s own pupils. “You did the same thing.”

Neji’s eyes widen at the appeal. Him? Having Tenten’s ability? “What do you mean?”

“Many lifetimes ago, you were the first to be given the power to see beyond the natural. But you were doomed to lose that ability because you loved too readily.” The shrine keeper paused and closed her eyes. She vividly saw it all. “You relinquished that power and managed to have a child with the person you desired. Yet, you still died young.”

“Why would I receive the abilities then?” Tenten asked.

The shrine keeper opened her eyes and looked straight ahead. “Because the ability coexists with your tragic destiny. So long as the shinobi world exists, so should this entity that binds your fate.” Her eyes darted to Tenten and back to Neji. “Clairvoyance is the only way for the bearer to access all of the shared past lifetimes. And it has been through this ability that kept every reincarnation of you both in past lifetimes to live until natural death.” The shrine keeper glared right back to Tenten, “If you knew that you both cannot fall in love, why do you still go so far as to break this loop?” The shrine keeper knew that the ability would not return back to Neji’s reincarnation for the next lifetime. If Tenten, who was gifted with the ability lost it in this lifetime, what would happen to their bound fate?

Tenten was struck with the question. She straightened her back and sternly answered, “Because I love him. Because I want to treasure the little time I have left with him,” Tenten turned her head to Neji. He too turned to look at her. “Your time was up, but I haven’t truly treasured you enough.”

“It doesn’t matter now,” the shrine keeper interrupted their loving gaze. “If you break the entity that accompanies the shinobi world, then-” she refused to speak. Never has the shrine keeper ever thought of a situation such as this. She was always told of their fate vaguely by her teacher, but she’d never think she’d come to this kind of conclusion.

“Then?” Neji questioned her. “Then what?” 

The shrine keeper needed an answer. The shinobi world could not exist without their destiny. These two entities coexist; without one the other would not exist. Would the future bear a grand calamity? Or would there be peace? Surely, she must be able to see the world’s future. If their fate can no longer be passed onwards onto the next life after losing clairvoyance, what would it mean for the shinobi world? The shrine keeper abruptly stood up much to Tenten and Neji’s surprise. “Stay put, I will be back with an answer.” Neji watched as she left the room, “Mina, prepare for the Rite of Divine.”

.

.

The day grew weary and the sun began to fall down toward the horizon. Tenten sat by the foot of the shrine engawa as she watched Neji practice his taijutsu. Maybe a good three hours had passed since the shrine keeper had left them to their own freedom within the compound. She told them to stay put and that was exactly what they did. Tenten found the shade of the tall pines and skyscraping bamboos to be a lovable place to train. The sun didn’t beat down onto them as much as in the open. She wondered why they didn’t just practice in such scenery as this. Of course, asking about it would do no good because she already knew why. Shinobi were too destructive when it came to expelling their powers during a brawl or spar. It was one of the main reasons why shinobi such as them could only excessively use their destructive abilities outside of the village gates for fear of creating collateral. Tenten watched as Neji swiftly moved from form to form. It was a new style of taijutsu she hasn’t been exposed to. The more the looked and analyzed it, the more free-flowing a natural it was to see him perform it. 

Every way he moved, every flick of the wrist, every balled fist, from the slight readjustment of his foot to the precise sway of his body, Tenten fell in love with the way he magnificently executed this lethal dance for her. Of course, he was merely honing his skills, but Tenten found a better way to look at it. “What is this type of fighting style?” she asked him. 

Neji grunted and a bead of sweat slipped down his temple. The fringes of hair that framed his face stuck to his cheeks. The slight breezy wind didn’t cool him down fast enough. Neji stood up tall from his last stance and smiled to her. “It’s a form safely guarded by the head family members.” 

“Oh right! You’re a head family member now,” she grinned to him. “No wonder I haven’t seen you practice it.”

Neji chuckled, “It’s called Taijiquan, I’ve only begun studying it.”

“Taijiquan? Isn’t that more closely related to Zhongguo people? Like me?”

“Yes, I believe the Hyuuga have origins tying to Zhongguo ancestors.” 

Tenten bit her lower lips as she tried to hide her growing smile. “I wonder what else you’ve learned now that you’re a head family member.”

Neji brushed off his yukata and rested beside her with some distance. “A whole lot,” he told her. His gaze went out to the green lushes ahead, “soon I’ll be able to change my clan’s ways.” 

Tenten wanted to look to him, but she halted herself. Conversations like these were never explored back in the old days. She paused and allowed herself to live in this carefree moment that they shared. “Taijiquan, how is that useful in relation to the Juuken?” Perhaps giving him all these questions would make them stray far away from the fact that they were here awaiting their fate. Since they’ve canceled their training session with Lee, she supposed they made it up with this time spent at the shrine waiting for the shrine keeper to call them back. 

“The Juuken is a name coined from the head family to the branch family members. I’ve only found out recently that the original name was Baguazhang.”

“Baguazhang?”

“Mm,” Neji replied. “Baguazhang allow byakugan users to have the most basic attack skills to fend for themselves and others. It is the only thing the branch family members can learn.”

“If Baguazhang is the most basic, then that means its the weakest?” She asked him. 

Neji shook his head no, “Baguazhang is the highest form refined in the Hyuuga clan. Almost anyone can learn it just by looking. It is also one of the reasons why the Juuken isn’t kept away from branch members.”

Tenten’s eyes narrowed and they simultaneously turned to each other. “I see,” she lied. 

“Am I making any sense?”

Tenten shook her head no and giggled, “I’m not following.”

Neji showed a meek smile and crossed his arms at her. “Let me put it this way,” Tenten’s eyes doe on him as he spoke, “Back in the academy, the only way you can graduate is to create a shadow clone, you remember right?” She nodded. “At that time, we all thought this was the highest form of jutsu that is hard to master. But with time and more experience, we discover that the shadow clone was just the beginning of a list of jutsu. Subsets of subsets if you will.”

“Then you’re saying Taijiquan is a subset of Baguazhang?”

“I’m saying Baguazhang is the original form of our clan’s taijutsu. It comes with a level of skills that adapts to the specific way a Hyuuga can harm others,” Neji took in a deep breath and sighed, “Juuken— Baguazhang, requires a specific set of skills only a Hyuuga can attain in order to hurt someone, and that goes for Taijiquan.”

Tenten seemed to understand it a bit. She nervously smiled and kept her eyes on him. Whenever he spoke of something he’s passionate about, there was always a glow to him. Hearing about Taijiquan intrigued her as well. She wondered if she’ll be able to use some aspects of it to hone her own skills. “So what is the benefit of Taijiquan?”

“Benefits?” Neji stroked his chin. His eyes roamed around her, “It mostly benefits chakra balance and chakra control to its most ultimate form.” 

Tenten raised a brow, “Sounds like you’re reading it to me from a book.”

Neji scoffed, “Well, Tenten, it was in the book.”

“Aha!”

Neji laughed and Tenten followed accordingly. He hadn’t laughed this much in the years he’s known her. “It may sound minimalistic, but Taijiquan really does help, especially maintaining how a user uses their chakra.”

Tenten suppressed her eager laughter and gave him her attention once more. “Do tell, I want to use some aspects of it for myself too.”

“Really?” 

“Mmhm,” she replied. “The way your body naturally flows and sways makes your feet look extremely light. I want to be able to incorporate that so that I’ll be able to summon my weapons in a more natural vigor.”

Neji raised a brow. He didn’t think she’d notice his footwork. He wondered if she knew it was sloppy. “You want to use it to summon with weapons?”

“Yeah!” she squealed ecstatically. “I think it’ll be useful!”

“The Hyuuga’s book of Taijiquan has no documentation of using weapons in conjunction with the style, but we’ll try.” The Hyuuga’s fighting style depends too highly on using their appointed kekkei genkai in conjunction with the style to reach for outside parameters such as weapons or genjutsu. Neji looked into her gleaming eyes, “Do you want me to train you?”

On Taijiquan? Tenten would never decline, “If you will,” she grinned at him. 

Neji chuckled with a wide smile perched on his lips. “Okay.”

He got up to his feet and Tenten scrambled up too. It was a shame that he was barefoot, practicing on the pounded dirt floor as he only wore his geta to the shrine. Tenten flung off her sandals as well just to match him. Neji couldn’t help but chuckle at her action. “I suppose I’ll teach you Taiji Chen if you want to incorporate weapons into the mix-”

Tenten cocked a brow at him, “Didn’t you say it was Taijiquan?”

“I did, there are several kinds of Taijiquan-”

“Whaaa-”

“Tenten-” Neji tried to reassure her.

“Then what kind of style were you practicing?”

Neji stared at her blankly, “A combination of both.”

“Both what?” she bit back. 

Neji held her shoulders and placed her in the middle of the pounded dirt ground. She stiffly moved into place as she stared at him. Neji glared at her, “Don’t ask too many questions about this or I’ll forbid you from asking me to teach you.”

Tenten closed her eyes and rolled them, “Okay, okay. But that is my last question.”

Neji huffed and his eyes landed on her soft features. He roughly patted both his palms onto her cheeks to force her to look at him. Tenten’s eyes shot open and she stared at him. “Stop being this adorable before I lose control of myself.” Tenten’s ears turned red as she looked at him with his arm stretched as far as they could to slap both her cheeks. All that she could do was to nod like a spring. Seeing her flushed answer made him smile once more. Neji let his arms fall back to his side, “I did a combination of both Taiji Hao and Taiji Chen,” he answered her question.

Tenten pressed her lips thinly. She wanted to ask what the difference was but opted not to test Neji’s resolve. And slowly but surely, he began to teach her form after form. Neji led by example, critiquing her stance and the way she breathed while she transitioned from movement to movement. Tenten didn’t think she’d be sweating so much just by imitating Neji’s slow movements. 

Perhaps it was his preciseness with each form that Tenten wanted to match that caused her to sweat as if she just ran 150 laps around the village with Lee. She didn’t think that moving so slowly would cause her muscles to ache. Tenten wanted to focus on anything else but the growing pain both her thighs. She’d been squatting and moving about for two whole hours trying to keep up to his training. The pair of cool spring cups sitting by the engawa that the apprentice set out for them as a courtesy was too enticing for her to focus. She cleared her throat, “How come you haven’t been using your byakugan these days?” 

Neji moved into the next form as Tenten followed after. They’ve been repeating the same sets of forms for the past hour to gain muscle memory. “Because they hurt when I use them.” Their training would near three hours soon. 

“Is it because of the accident?” Tenten asked.

Was it? “No,” Neji replied. “Lee’s kick wasn’t the reason why.”

“Huh.”

Neji thought she was going to press for more information, but she didn’t. Was this reverse psychology? Neji peered to her stance and looked back forward; she was doing fine. “You’re not asking why?”

Tenten shook her head no, “If you wanted to tell me you would’ve.”

Neji stopped his form and stood up straight. Unknowingly, Tenten immediately straightened up as well. For a moment, all that they did was look into each other’s eyes. The sweat beads glistened on every exposed skin with the little sunlight they had in the dense forest. Neji didn’t know why he hadn’t told her or Lee about his newly acquired eyes but it was better to say it now than wait until later. “The sole reason why my eyes hurt, I believe it is because of the mukōgan.”

“Mukōgan?”

He nodded. “It wasn’t just because of my merits in the war that the elders raised my status and accepted the removal of my curse mark, it was because of these set of eyes.”

“The mukōgan,” she confirmed. Neji nodded just as a cool gush of wind breezed passed by them. Tenten’s sight moved from his right eye to his left and vice versa. She saw no difference in them at all. “I want to see them but it will hurt you, so please describe them to me.” The distance between them prevented her from seeing the little nuances in his eyes. She was too far away to notice anything different. 

“The pupils have a cerulean blue circumference, but the more I use it, and with the more pain, the color has begun to bleed through to the outer ring of my irises.” Neji wished that she could comfort him right now. He could tell from her expression that she wanted to do so. His eyes were changing and he feared that he’d lose the byakugan’s abilities once the color fully clouded his irises. Perhaps this was one of the reasons why he didn’t want to tell anyone. He disliked talking about it because the change itself was something he hated. 

Tenten’s sour expression needed to be wiped off. She didn’t like the way he talked about it because it made her regret asking him about it. Tenten’s eyes lit up and gave him a wide grin. “It must mean you’re getting stronger,” she delightfully exclaimed. Neji was taken aback by her sudden change in demeanor. “You do feel getting stronger right?”

He nodded. Despite not wanting these pair of new eyes, they’ve brought him a change in acquired power. His chakra accumulation had increased and become unstable, making it more difficult to control. The fact that he had to struggle with controlling his chakra again frustrated him. It was why he needed to practice and master Taiji Hao and Taiji Chen just to easily manipulate his chakra in any way that he wanted. “I do feel a change.”

“Aye,” Tenten playfully punched his shoulder, making him teeter just a little, “I can’t believe you’re surpassing Lee and me without even telling us! I’m telling Lee-”

Neji chuckled mildly, “Should we rest?” He’s never paid attention to her little antics whenever she’s with him. Neji’s only realized it now that she’s always been like this. He never realized how precious she was to him with every little thing that she does. Why hadn’t he realized it sooner?

“Mm, let’s rest-”

“The head shrine keeper is ready for you,” the apprentice interrupted them. 

Neji and Tenten snapped their heads to her and they nodded. “Thank you for informing us,” he replied. The apprentice robotically turned around and left out of their sight. He glanced back to Tenten and gave her a smile, “Let’s go.”

.

.

The courtesy drinks on the engawa sat untouched. Neji and Tenten didn’t smell so great sitting in the room with the shrine keeper. The uneasiness settled back in. The shrine keeper’s face was stone cold. Neji couldn’t read her expression at all. 

“The answer I was looking for,” the shrine keeper began, “I’ve found it.” Neji and Tenten stared at each other briefly before giving their attention back to the higher disciple of the heavens. The shrine keeper looked down to her lands that placed on her lap. 

A simper came to her lips and Neji’s eyes narrowed. “The answer must be good news.”

“On the most part, Young Master,” she replied. They waited patiently as they’ve done until now. The shrine keeper gulped and looked forward to them, “The gift of clairvoyance can no longer be passed down onto anyone. And because this gift, this entity, co-exists with the fate of the shinobi, without it means the other won’t be able to survive.” The shrine keeper refreshed their memories with a briefing of their former conversation. “Because you’ve both given up this gift that has been given in order to assure the shinobi world’s longevity, it means that the future will no longer resemble the one we have now.”

“The shinobi world has to change,” Neji commented. “We all want it to change.” The only person on his mind who he believed would be able to achieve this change was Naruto. Just as Naruto was able to change him, Neji was sure that the yellow-headed hero would be able to bring about peace. “Peace, peace is what this world needs-”

“The shinobi world cannot exist with peace in mind,” the shrine keeper told him. “Achieving peace means that the tragic fate that shackles the both of you will break.”

Tenten leaned in, “Wouldn’t that be good for us?” she asked. “If it is broken, wouldn’t we be able to come together in this lifetime?” Tenten glanced to Neji and her heart pounded. 

Neji listened to Tenten’s words clearly. “Do tell that with the prospect of peace in mind, and as it is achieved, Tenten and I can fulfill our promises in this life?”

The shrine keeper nodded. “I’ve seen a very probable future that looks nothing like this. Peace is coming soon, but my vision is murky.” Neji’s brows furrowed as did Tenten’s. “There will be hurdles that come with vying for peace. I cannot guarantee that you both will come together in this lifetime for I cannot read your future. However, I am positive that peace and prosperity, especially change, will be gained in this lifetime.”

Tenten turned to Neji with a wide grin on her face. “Then, the only thing that separates us is time.” Neji also turned to her and smiled. 

“Don’t be too rash, young miss,” the shrine keeper warned. Tenten looked at the shrine keeper to hear what she had to say. “What I said about keeping your distance from Young Master is still valid.”

Neji winced at the shrine keeper’s choice of words, “It’s not just her, I have to do the same as well.” He hated when people were blatant with their prejudice toward someone who was rootless. Not belonging to a clan nor having any last name shouldn’t be a reason to treat someone as if they were less than human. Neji’s eyes scrutinized the shrine keeper. 

“My mistake,” the shrine keeper brushed off the slip of the tongue. She gulped once more. “Furthermore, do not forget that the only way you both will live to old age is if you stray far away from one another. Peace and change will come but I do not know when in this lifetime that it will appear. Only when it is reached can you both fulfill your promises.”

“Thank you for offering us your time,” Tenten said to her.  She could tell the threatening aura was emanating from him. “Let’s get going, Neji.”

“As a disciple of the heavens, I expected you to see the people all the same. I was wrong to hold you with higher respect,” Neji blatantly told the shrine keeper. “We will take our leave now.”

Tenten panicked when he said that to the shrine keeper. She scrambled up when he shot up to leave. He didn’t even bow to the shrine keeper. Tenten hurried to give her a respectful bow before running after Neji. Neji has always been vocal about the unbalanced equality of respect that heavily favored those who came from prominent clans. He’d only started voicing his distaste after their first Chuunin exams. Whenever it came to a situation like this, there was nothing she could do to stop him. Tenten followed him out of the shrine.

The shrine keeper gulped again. Her apprentice entered the room with a bowl. They both knew that something horrible would be coming. The shrine keeper couldn’t keep the lump in her throat anymore. She coughed it out; it was a long sluggish coagulated piece of blood. The moment the solid piece of blood hit the bowl, it turned into liquid. The shrine keeper heaved as a single tear escaped her eye. “You must keep on your studies, Yuna.” The shrine keeper’s life had greatly been shortened. She mustn’t enter the Rite of Divine unless she craved death.


	40. Naruto is Moving Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke is adamant on speaking with Sakura to clear up his conflicts but she continues to dodge him. He follows her to the hospital and confronts her. 
> 
> The next day, Sasuke is awakened by Naruto pounding on his door. Naruto needs help moving out.

The top tip of the radiating sun hits the horizon. Sakura, along with every attending villager threw their flower petals of various kinds into the Konoha river. It was the last day of May, and as a practice of welcoming the new season of prospering youth and carefree happiness, she released a handful of assorted flower petals she bought from Ino’s floristry. Sakura clasped her hands together and made a wish. She wished that all would be well, that all of her friends would no longer suffer, and most of all, she wished that she’d be able to achieve her dreams. 

An assortment of colors mingled into the river. From the other side of the bank, Sakura saw a few of her friends. Her eyes laid upon the twin bunned kunoichi and she immediately searched for the other piece: the Hyuuga prodigy. He was about three persons away from her. But despite people blocking their way, they still managed to see one another. 

Seeing them cautiously treading the thread of their fate made Sakura feel remorseful. She’s seen them put this lengthy barrier between the two of them, but she hasn’t gotten used to it. No matter how many times she gets put their place, she would never be able to refrain from the person she was meant to love. If Sakura’s fate was like Tenten’s she wouldn’t know what to do.

The smile on their faces told no lies. Despite their predicament, they were content with this unmarked barrier. Sakura glanced to the flowing river below and her focus strayed from the two of them. It was unfair that this was their fate. 

She glanced up down further the river and spotted her childhood friend. Sakura’s eyes widen. “Is that Sai?” she whispered to herself. “No wonder I haven’t seen him.” It looked like they were enjoying themselves and she simpered automatically. She may have tried to comfort Ino on her loss, but perhaps having one more person to do so was even better. 

“Hey, Sakura-chan!” 

Sakura turned around from the rails of the river and spotted her blonde-headed friend waving at her from the mass of crowds. “Naruto?” She squeezed through the people now that she had said her wishes and met him out in the clearing. When she exited the crowd, she realized he wasn’t alone. 

The young boy she’d treated badly had grown up to be a young fine man. His hands wrapped tightly around his woman’s own hands as he welcomed her. She was stunned, not because of Hinata openly beside him, not because the shy woman wasn’t bursting into a bright red cherry, but because Sasuke was with them as well. 

“We were looking for you and I asked Hinata-chan for help!” Naruto exclaimed. 

“Looking for me for what?” Sakura asked. 

Naruto chuckled and scratched the back of his head out of habit, “If you want to join us for dinner at Ichiraku’s.”

Sakura glanced at the man she used to crush on. He had his back turned toward them but he keenly listened. “No, I’ll have to pass.”

“Oh, is that so,” Naruto’s tone downcasted. 

“Maybe some other time Naruto, I have to hurry back to the hospital,” she lied to him. “I have something important to do.” 

“Ah, I see,” Naruto turned to Hinata and pulled her away, “Then, we’ll get going! Don’t work too hard Sakura-chan!”

Sakura caught a glimpse of Hinata’s reassuring eyes and she watched as he led her away. She glanced to the remaining person left, “Aren’t you going?” she asked Sasuke. He didn’t reply. “Hm,” she sounded, “I’ll see you around then,” she bid him a short farewell. It was still weird to treat him as a mere friend. She no longer harbored any romantic feelings for him but having him stick around more frequently as she was used to surely made it harder to strengthen that resolve. 

“Can we talk?” His voice thundered to her ears. 

Sakura could tell it was something he found difficult to say. She turned to him with a slightly surprised face. “I’m a bit busy right now, Sasuke. Maybe tomorrow?” She didn’t wait for him to accept her proposal. Her mind did not want to linger on why he was willing to speak to her first. 

“I barely see you these days,” Sasuke admitted. He bit his lips at the desperation in his voice. 

He watched as she turned to him while she simultaneously walked away from him. A grin was always on her lips, “I know, but I’ll see you tomorrow! Just come by around 7:30 before my shift begins!” She’s distanced herself from him. Was he that clingy? “Goodnight!” Her voice flowed through to his ears. Sasuke gulped hard and turned away from her smaller figure straying farther away from him. For some reason, it hurt to watch her be the one to leave him this time. Amongst a place with more people acknowledging him, he felt, even more, lonelier now that he’s lost her attention. 

Sasuke shoved his hands into his pockets and walked the opposite direction of her. It would take longer to get home to go this route but he didn’t care. 

Konoha wasn’t the same as it once was to him. A lot of things changed and it seemed like he’s missed out on plenty. The people he hadn’t even known welcomed him with open arms. People like the Hyuuga prodigy and his rambunctious teammates or the precarious Sai whose nature surely that of his own welcomed back home. And though he was grateful for their genuine greetings, he had yet to truly settle back home. 

Many things had changed, especially the annoying person he dreaded protecting. She no longer was the weak person he knew and he wanted the old “her” back. Sasuke wanted her to welcome him back with the same longing she once had for him. He’s changed himself over the war, gotten somewhat softer now. But her, she’s floated beyond his realm and he no longer could reach for her. That familiarity that he craved, that she had, that she would have given him, she had taken it and soared. 

Perhaps it was because he was too cruel to her that it made him rely on her for his comfort back into the village. Sasuke wanted to undo all of his wrongdoings he’s done to her. Maybe that's why he hadn’t truly settled down. She and Naruto knew him the best. And with him resolving his problems with Naruto, all that he had left was her. However, she would never let him get near her.  _ “Just a simple talk will do,” _ he pleaded in his mind. 

Sakura walked back to the hospital and retrieved her green coat, similar to that of her teacher, Lady Tsunade. This was her lie to Naruto. Sakura didn’t want to tag along with the whiskered man and his date. She knew he asked out of courtesy and conjured up a stale lie that she needed to get back to the hospital. Her friends never questioned why she used this excuse so much. Truthfully, she was only in need in the morning but was free to have time for herself in the evening. At times, she’d be called in to handle some procedures after hours but that was rare.

Sakura just didn’t want to feel too much like the burden she’s placed on Naruto. Spending most of her time away from her friends gave her the opportunity to ensure that she’ll be able to contribute to the change of Konoha’s system. 

Her mind flashed back to Tenten’s tearful collapse on Ino’s lap in the dead of night. Sakura could still hear the woman’s harrowing cries. They struck her chords to no end because Tenten was someone whom she'd never think to cry. Well, she was human and humans were bound to cry but Tenten, she was strong-willed. Sakura knew her to be emotionally strong and that was what made her more than capable as a kunoichi. Naruto said he’s changed his fate with Sasuke, and he promised to change Neji and Tenten’s. If there was any possibility that he’d be able to do it, the only route she could think of was to change the way the shinobi world was structured. 

Going on missions meant putting their lives at risk. If there was peace, if Naruto and she worked for peace, there wouldn’t be a system like this. No matter how small her impact would be in the future, Sakura wanted to help Naruto for Tenten’s cause. She may not know what it was like to find out that her fate was to be deprived of a love life after life, but she knew that change was possible. There was always a way out. 

“Sakura-san?” Sakura snapped out of her long thought and stared at the woman behind the desk. “Are you okay? Did you overwork yourself again?” 

She shook her head no, “I just came back to get this,” she raised the green coat over the counter so the other woman could see. 

“Ah, okay. You should head home, you’ve stayed here long enough.”

“Will do,” she grinned. “Goodnight Mina.”

“Goodnight,” the younger woman’s voice echoed from behind her. 

Sakura walked out of the hospital just as the darkness finally set in. She stopped walking the moment a figure appeared before her. She’s been found out. “Sasuke?”

He intended to go home after meeting Sakura at the river, but along the way, Sasuke found himself walking toward her workplace. His subconscious brought him here and he readily allowed it to guide him there. Sasuke didn’t even intend to bump into Sakura when he approached the hospital. She said she was busy and he assumed she was. He never thought that she’d lie. Come to think of it now, the way she delivered her lies, she was a natural. He approached her until the space between them became arm’s length. “You don’t look too busy,” his hoarse voice called out to her. 

“Y-eah, but I’m really tired-”

“You’re avoiding me,” Sasuke blatantly assumed. 

Sakura stepped back from him with a small step and slung on the coat. Why would he think that? She stepped aside, intending to walk around him, “No I’m not, I’ll talk to you tomorrow-” his hand was on her arm and he gripped her tightly. Sakura’s eyes scrutinized his actions and she glared up to him. She didn’t expect him to reciprocate her discerning eyes back to her. “What’s your problem?”

“Can you not act like this?” 

His words trembled to her ears. Why was he reopening her sewn up feelings? Sakura wondered why she didn’t just throw them all away. “What are you talking about?” Sakura struggled out of his arm with a heavy swipe. “Let go!” She continued to look into his blackened eye, the other was hidden by his hair. Sakura adjusted the coat back onto her shoulder. 

Sasuke felt a pang in his heart. “Can’t you just stay,” he shortly paused, “stay beside me like you used to?” 

Sakura’s eyes widen. Was this the same person she knew? “What are you? An imposter?” 

“I promise you I won’t hurt you.”

Sakura’s heartbeat quickened,  _ “Is he confessing to me?” _

He was putting forth everything he needed to say. He needed just one conversation, one moment with her to straighten out their friendship, “I promise I’ll make it up to you and undo all of the wrong things I caused onto you-” 

“Stop it.” She halted him. 

Sasuke still had more to say. There was so much more to say, “Can’t you welcome me like before? So that your familiarity will warm me-”

“Stop it!” Sakura yelled. Indeed, he was cutting up her sewn up heart and she would rather die than be hit with the same unrequited love again. “I don’t know what you’re doing, or if you’re confessing to me but I don’t want to hear it!”

Sasuke was taken aback by her words. She must have misunderstood his intentions, “Sakura-”

“I don’t like you anymore, I don’t love you anymore, Sasuke,” her voice calmed and settled like the lake. “If I was my former self, I would have still welcomed you home the same.” She stepped away from him and shook her thoughts of them back in the old days away, “Since we’ve talked now, don’t look for me tomorrow.” Sakura began to walk away for the last time of tonight, “If you seriously need something that requires my skill or anything of that nature— if you need something from a friend like me, I’ll always be there for you. But not like this, in these circumstances!” He got her heated up. Sakura stormed away and cursed at herself. “I should’ve thrown them away, I really should’ve.”

Sasuke stood at the entrance of the hospital in silence. He was flabbergasted. Did he really look like he was confessing to her? His ears burned red and he glanced in her direction. She was long gone but he continued to look that way anyway. Suddenly, his hand twitched. His collected self shied away and he was left with vulnerability. Sasuke felt exposed, even he doubted if he confessed or not. He tried to shake away the uneasy feeling but blood pooled to his cheeks anyway. “Geez,” he whispered to himself. “What the hell is this feeling.”

.

.

Naruto was still spontaneous as ever. Sasuke woke up to the pounding of the hyperactive shinobi at his door, yelling for him to get up. The man said he needed help and ignoring him wasn’t going to cut it. Sasuke opened the door and glared at his friend, “It’s 7:28 am, Naruto.”

“Sasuke! Please help me move out!” Naruto begged.

That was precisely why he was trying to help Kiba lift Naruto’s bed out of his apartment. The only other person here that was helping out with the move was Shino. Apparently, Naruto was so spontaneous that he used every coin of his savings from the stipend to buy an apartment closer to the Hyuuga compound. It didn’t even need to be mentioned that he did it just to be closer to Hinata, everyone that was helping him with the move knew. It was also the only reason why Kiba and Shino helped Naruto out. Whatever it took to help their comrade, they’d do it. 

“Why can’t we just seal all of your stuff and summon them at the apartment?” Kiba scowled as he bumped on the door. 

Naruto hauled his table right behind them as Sasuke struggled to grip the bed. “I could’ve, but it’s more fun to do it with you guys!” 

Shino squeezed through the door with two chairs under his arms, “You don’t own any sealing scrolls at all.”

“I didn’t have the money to buy some,” Naruto uneasily laughed as they slowly made their way down the stairs. 

“I can go and ask Tenten-san for one,” Shino conjured.

Just then, they all spotted a black flash swoosh by them, followed by a green flash. “Neji. You’ve got to show me!” 

“That sounds like Lee!” Naruto exclaimed. 

Indeed it was Lee. Sasuke perceived both of them running by in slow motion. He couldn’t even comprehend the speed they were going at. 

“Stop chasing him!” Tenten’s voice whizzed past their ears.

Naruto nodded with a wide smile, “Definitely Tenten.”

“Can you stop pointing out the obvious?!” Kiba yelled at him. The bed was getting heavier by the second. 

“Hey, looks like you can’t ask Tenten right now, hehe,” Naruto chuckled. “We should hurry! I want to feel the training youth— no wait. How does Lee say it-” They started moving down the stairs again. “The power of youth!” Naruto followed after with a loud roar. 

Sasuke’s mind lingered on a simple thought. He wondered how strong the Hyuuga prodigy was. In fact, he wondered how strong the odd paired team was. Sasuke had never actually seen them in battle ever since his first Chuunin exams. Just by judging those three’s ordinary commonness, well, with some exceptions to the prodigy, it looked like their group was far more superior in their projected skills than any other team he knew. 

Shikamaru’s team was well adapted to one another, but there was a clan alliance that would always make sure their clan children would be on the same team no matter what generation. Sasuke couldn’t be sure if Lee or Tenten would match his own skills, but he acknowledged that their speed far surpassed his own. 

As for the Hyuuga prodigy, the fact that he bore a destiny didn’t bother Sasuke. The Hyuuga clan loved to boast about their abilities but he knew that his powers far surpassed them. The only doubtful case was Neji. It didn’t sit right with him to hear that the man has been promoted to be a member of the head family of the clan. Something more than just the basic Hyuuga abilities must have prompted it. Sasuke thought back to what he told Neji on the night where they had the debriefing. He would love to have a friendly spar with the Hyuuga prodigy but it looked like the man wasn’t interested at all. _ “Training with someone lower than you does you no good.” _ Sasuke internally scoffed, “He’s too humble.”

“Did you say something?” Sasuke looked up to Kiba staring back at him. “I swore I heard something.”

Naruto leaned in, “Don’t tell me you want to join them too, Sasuke.”

“Join them?” Kiba howled, “You both literally defeated a God during the war if I remembered correctly.”

“They’re reincarnations of Gods, Kiba,” Naruto turned his head away. “Not Lee of course-”

Kiba squinted at Naruto’s stupidity, “You both are reincarnations of Gods as well you dumbass.”

Naruto choked and almost dropped his table. “Good point.”

“Besides, Lee, Tenten, and Neji are still regular people like us,” Kiba glanced at Shino hoisting up both the chairs robotically, “you two sparring with them is like spitting on their grave.”

Sasuke scoffed, “A spar wouldn’t hurt, it’ll benefit them more than us.”

“So you do want to train with them!” Naruto yelled. “Alright! We should hurry with the move!”

“Why would you fight them when you haven’t fought me yet?” Shino scowled. “I happen to be one of the most powerful-”

“I only want to fight Hyuuga Neji,” Sasuke announced. He’s never seen the Hyuuga clan’s prowess at all. “You’ve seen Lee’s powers, haven’t you Naruto?”

Naruto pondered on the thought for a while. “Lee’s gotten stronger than you remember. Neji too, though he’s reluctant to show it.” 

“Why do you two want to fight with them anyway?” Kiba argued, “and about the benefitting them stuff, that’s complete bullshit.”

“Why are you so pissy Kiba,” Naruto called him out, “training with Team Gai is a privilege!”

“Exactly!” Kiba retorted.

Sasuke cocked a brow, “Why?”

“Of course you wouldn’t know,” Kiba commented.

They finally reached the ground and started heading toward the new apartment. Naruto walked beside Sasuke. “They’re the most hardworking shinobi I know.” 

“They train all day ever since we got to know them and that was like— what, since the genin days?” Kiba pondered. “That should be right, but anyways,” Kiba readjusted his grip on the bed, making Sasuke juggle his end of the bed. “They simply don’t have time to engage in meager spars.” Kiba glanced to Sasuke, “Have you ever seen them engaged in a spar?” 

Sasuke blinked blankly at him, “Apparently not.”

Shino butted in between Sasuke and Naruto, causing the yellowed headed man to almost drop his table for the nth time. “They’ve obliterated their section of the training field and used ours and tore it up into rags.”

“I’m assuming this was before the shinobi ban,” Sasuke commented.

“Correct,” Shino replied. “Their team is too serious when it comes to fighting amongst themselves. If anyone asks to have a friendly spar, they’d hold back to the point they’d be playing around.”

“What are you guys blabbering on about?”

Standing in their way was Sakura. “Sakura?” Sasuke’s mouth moved on its own. It was past her shift hours, so what was she doing here? 

“Sasuke and Naruto want to fight with Team Gai-” Kiba merrily told her.

A vein popped from Sakura’s forehead, “And cause a calamity in the village?!” 

“Aren’t you supposed to be at work?” Naruto asked her. 

“Don’t change the subject!” she growled at him. “So what? I can’t personally run an errand?!”

Naruto cowered behind Shino, “N-no one says you can’t, S-Sakura-chan.”

“There’s no way I’m letting you both go to them and fight. Who knows what damages you’ll both do!” 

“How come they get to train however they like but we can’t?” Naruto cautiously dodged Sakura’s eyes. 

“Because they have restraints and awareness of their surroundings!”

“I have restraints,” Sasuke cooly pointed out. 

Sakura glared at him, “You suck at the other!” Sasuke turned his head and pouted. She was somewhat right about that, but to have her nagging at him like before made him more at ease. “Hokage-sama’s literally draining our financial reserves just so we all can enjoy a good year off before going back on duty and you want to fight them, and for what? Your egos?”

Naruto felt the burn from a mile away. It was true that he and Sasuke were a bit too reckless when it comes to being aware of their surroundings, perhaps him more than the Uchiha. If he broke anything, he won’t have the money to pay for the damages. Naruto sighed, “I guess we’ll just have to wait until the ban is lifted.”

“And what are you guys doing moving these furnitures?” she asked. 

“Naruto-kun is moving places,” Shino replied. 

Sakura’s eyes narrowed at both Naruto and Sasuke. She supposed Naruto had no use for such a sealing scroll. If Tenten found out, she’d give him a lifetime supply of them for free. “If I find out either of you is going near them I’ll personally give you both a beating.” She pushed forward past them. 

Sasuke’s eyes followed her until he could no longer turn his head back to see her. She seemed serious, but he was serious about fighting Neji too. “I’m going to fight him after this.”

Naruto’s face shrunk, “Didn’t you just hear what Sakura said?”

“We’ll amend the spar,” Sasuke replied. “They’re training at the front of the village gates rights?”

“Every day,” Kiba answered. “I want to see this spar actually.”


	41. Sasuke vs. Neji: Eyes of the Heavens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naruto, Sakura, Kiba, Shino, Hinata, and Sasuke watch on the sidelines as Team Gai engage in a sophisticated brawl. Sasuke then challenges Neji to a friendly spar. Their spar causes Neji to achieve the tenseigan.

One. Two. Three. Tenten’s eyes scanned both her teammates. She held a simple staff behind her back as she squatted on the ground. Four. Five. Her feet pounded with chakra and she sped toward them as they did toward her. She was the slower of the three of them but it always balanced out. Tenten swung the staff down to Lee’s feet. He barely managed to dodge it before missing a strike to Neji’s chest. This type of training was the most simplistic one: everyone was an enemy and the goal in mind was to land a decisive hit.

Sasuke crossed his arms as he stood beside Naruto, Kiba, Shino, Hinata, and Sakura. The sun was high up and it beat down on the trio out there in the opening. Sakura wasn’t happy about it at all.

They watched in horrid awe of the savage dance the three of them inflicted on each other. If their eyes weren’t trained to match a certain speed, they wouldn’t be able to actually see every parried punch, kick, swing, misses, and harrowing attempts to harm one another. Sakura had never really thought about how they fought. She’d only heard from some of her friends that the trio always went hard against one another. She didn’t think they’d be this ruthless.

What awed her the most was the practicality of Tenten’s fuinjutsu. She never really used or actually seen the kunoichi be lethal in her uses. Seeing Tenten’s long-range attacks compared to the close range ones were subpar to what she saw now. Every now and then, the scrolls attached to Tenten’s wrists would momentarily ribbon out and a puff of smoke would escape. Once it dissipated, she’d already been in the midst of using it to land a hit at her teammates. If either Lee or Neji managed to kick her weapon out of her hands and have it flying towards the homes and businesses, especially the villagers, it would automatically disappear into a puff of smoke.

Sometimes, onlookers would gather at their prowess. Sometimes, they’d go about their day because the trio’s spar was long. It was too long in fact. Sakura had been standing under the shade of a tree for three agonizing hours just watching them go at it nonstop.

The third staff Tenten summon had been broken by Lee’s heavy stomp. “You’re getting predictable, Tenten!” he yelled to her.

Tenten spun around, kicking the broken weapon out of her way. She hated when anyone criticized her. She momentarily sparred with them without any weapons on hand before sliding underneath Neji’s legs to avoid Lee’s punch. She swept Neji’s right leg, and for a split second, believed she’s landed a hit. However, he was just bluffing.

Neji simply moved his heel and used his other foot to back kick her. Tenten leaped up to her feet, dodging the kick, and let her sealing scrolls fly to the sky. It shot straight up before she grabbed onto it and pulled it down. She ran out of weapons within her scrolls, but that didn’t mean she was out of options. Tenten dispersed her chakra into the scroll paper itself and used it as a rope. Lee had already jumped to meet her descending figure. Below, Neji was waiting for an attack.

“Whoa,” it escaped from Naruto’s mouth. Tenten’s ribbon-like weapon immediately grabbed a hold of Lee’s foot and pulled him down. She landed quite a few steps away from them, making Neji lose his chance to strike her and so he struck Lee instead.

“I’m out!” Lee announced. He fell to the ground with a thud, unable to escape Neji’s attack. Neji’s palm whizzed to Lee’s face, pushing air straight to his face. He tapped the ground twice and picked himself up. Lee jumped back to where his onlookers were under the tree. “You guys have been here for quite a while.”

“Was that supposed to happen?” Sakura asked Lee.

Lee shook his head no. He panted hard to try and catch his breath, “Tenten has never done that before. I’m surprised too.” He looked out to his comrades staring each other down, “I think she’s exalted all of her weapons.”

“Tenten? Using up all of her weapons?” Sakura was flabbergasted.

“Yes, Sakura-chan,” Lee replied.

Sasuke’s ear keened in on the shinobi who was older than him. He didn’t like the sincerity in Lee’s tone.

“We spar everyday and she breaks about thirty weapons per day,” Lee explained. He grinned at his members, they meant everything to him, “the stipend isn’t enough to cover for her losses.”

Sakura nodded, “I see.”

Displayed before them now resembled more of an elaborate dance than a brawl especially with Tenten’s improvised weapon. The weapon moved like dragons in the sky, flowing at her command, and keeping the close combat prodigy far from her.

“Tell me, Lee-san,” Sakura asked him, “why were you chasing Neji-san this morning?”

Lee glanced at her briefly, “You saw that?”

“We all did actually,” Kiba corrected him, “except for Hinata though.”

Lee smiled and he looked back to his eternal rival. “Neji’s developed new eyes, the makugan I think.” He shook his head to wake himself from his tired bones, “I don’t really remember what it’s called but he wouldn’t show to me how it looks like so I chased him.”

“Mukōgan,” Hinata whispered. “It’s called the mukōgan.”

Naruto looked at her, “Mukōgan?”

Hinata nodded and Sasuke’s brows furrowed. “I thought everyone knew, but nii-san must have wanted to keep it a secret.”

“Do you know what powers it has, Hinata-chan?” Naruto asked.

She shook her head no. Her eyes were locked on her cousin. “The Hyuuga clan’s inscription of the pair of eyes is minimal.” She eyed intensely on both her cousin and Tenten’s form. Why was their fighting forms so similar?

“I didn’t think Tenten would be this exceptional in her own way,” Sakura praised her. “She’s going to make a name for herself in no time.”

Tenten’s ribbon paper scrolls were strewn about beside her. In a flash, he was beelining toward her. She immediately formed a hand signal and held the ribbon scroll within her palm.

The moment Neji’s palm inches to her forehead, she disappeared. Surrounded by a puff of smoke, Neji immediately drew back to assess the situation. When the cloud dissipated, all that was left was only one of the ribbon scrolls on the ground.

“Where did she go?” Sakura asked. Lee looked around the scene but couldn’t find an explanation for her. There was no trace of her.

Kiba sniffed for Tenten’s scent but found no secondary traces of her. “I can’t pick up any other traces of her.”

Neji couldn’t understand what just happened. He cautiously walked up to the abandoned scroll and picked it up. The moment he saw a summation seal, Neji realized he was too late.

Tenten immediately summoned herself as her own weapon and managed to strike Neji on the chin. He rolled back and landed on his feet, one of his knees pressed hard against the ground. “You would’ve been able to dodge that if you activated your eyes,” she told him.

Neji scoffed and stood up, “You know I don’t want to do that.”

“I know,” Tenten replied. She twirled her wrists once and the unrolled ribbon-like paper seals coiled perfectly back to their origins.

Sakura tightened her heart and tried to keep her thoughts about their cruel fate away. “Yeah! Tenten won!”

Tenten turned to Sakura and cheekily grinned. Neji glanced to Sakura on the sidelines and then back to Tenten. A pleasing smile perched on his lips. “Looks like I’ve lost.” She merely acknowledged him with a silent smile as they both headed toward the shade.

“Were we all entertaining?” Tenten joked to Sakura.

Sakura chuckled and nodded, “Very.”

“What are you guys gathered here for?” Neji asked. Even his cousin was here as well.

“You guys looked beat, so there’s no point in asking for a brawl,” Naruto replied.

“You’re here to spar?” Neji crossed his arms as the cool Summer breeze cooled his skin, “with us?”

Lee glanced at Naruto, “Why, Naruto-kun?” Tenten fixed her shinobi sandal and looked at the whiskered man. “We’re not strong enough to be your opponent.”

Neji met eyes with Sasuke. He’s already told the latter that their powers were on different levels. “Sasuke, your skills heavily outmatch mine. Please spare me some dignity.”

Sasuke scoffed, “You’re too humble for a Hyuuga prodigy.”

Kiba’s heard that somewhere. It then hit him where he heard it from, “Aha!” he realized Sasuke was talking about Neji when he mumbled about something earlier today. “So you were talking about Neji!”

“I can wait until you’re well rested,” Sasuke proposed to Neji.

Neji disliked Sasuke’s stubborn character. “We can postpone this event until the shinobi ban is lifted. Our brawl will happen out there.”

“Ugh,” Kiba groaned, “I’ve waited almost four hours just watching you guys spar.”

“No one asked you to do that,” Tenten replied to him.

Sasuke had a stare-down with Neji. The prodigy was merely stalling the fight.

“There is no doubt that I will lose against an Uchiha of your ability,” Neji tried again. “Those who defeat Gods cannot remain ordinary individuals.”

“In any other aspects, yes,” Sasuke redeemed. He ignored the words that followed after. “But against a taijutsu group such as your’s, I have my doubts too.”

Neji raised a brow. “You’ve seen and analyzed our moves already, there is no point in this brawl if you already know what comes next.”

“All that I ask for is a taijutsu spar using our doujutsu,” Sasuke set the bar. “No ninjutsu nor genjutsu.”

Tenten looked to Neji with concern plastered all over her face. “Hm, that sounds interesting,” Lee commented.

“Lee,” Tenten snapped at him. She glanced to Neji again and signaled to him her disapproval with the shake of her head.

He did not heed her. “Alright,” Neji complied.

“Neji,” Tenten called to him. He told her his eyes would hurt whenever it’s used and it made her worry.

Neji turned to the stage that they were to spar on, “It will be fine, Tenten.”

Sakura eyed the both of them. There was something they wouldn’t say. Sakura rolled her shoulders back and keenly watched Tenten’s demeanor.

Tenten sighed in annoyance, causing Hinata to leave Naruto’s side.

“After their brawl, it’s you and me, Lee,” Naruto exclaimed. Lee nodded ecstatically.

“The boundary is this space, do not destroy any property, not even the ground,” Neji set the rules. Sasuke agreed.

Tenten’s heart wrenched.

They were ten feet apart. Already, Sasuke’s dojutsu was already activated. Neji took in a deep breath. He hasn’t felt the pulsations since the festival and he wouldn’t want to feel it again, ever. He took in another breath, drawing in a calmer sensation to his core. Neji closed his eyes, believing the reason why it hurts was that he couldn’t control the chakra to his pupils. It was ridiculous to think so because no matter how much he thinned it, the pain still resided and it only grew stronger with every use. Neji blew out a short breath and activated his dojutsu. In just a few minutes, the pulsations would come.

Neji opened his eyes and stared at Sasuke. It was as if he hadn’t even activated them but he knew the difference. Everywhere his vision encompassed, everything moved slowly. He focused on the man standing before him. It was time to test the mukōgan.

It was all about knowing what would come next, which punch would follow after, what stance would induce what attack, that was the sharingan’s abilities. That was what’s the most important aspect to use right now. Sasuke didn’t think that Neji would be the opponent that would see through his attacks. He didn’t know what to expect from the byakugan user. _“So this is the byakugan’s powers.”_ Every strike he gave, Neji was able to block effortlessly. Every maneuver taken, every angle and direction, it seemed as if the man only looked in one direction. Sasuke noticed that Neji only turned to face him when he was attacking from any other side except the front. It was as if the white eyes saw all around him.

The longer the spar went, the more anxious Tenten became. Her eyes bounced and dashed to everywhere that Neji moved. Their fight was centered, only staying in one general area. Without even knowing, her breaths fastened and her chest began to rise higher and harder than before.

Neji wasn’t taking any hits, nor was Sasuke, but something was off about the byakugan user. Sasuke squinted, realizing his opponent kept on deliberately shutting his eyes as if a hard light beamed on him. He didn’t question it, he believed it was what came with the dojutsu.

Neji could see it, the pulsations leaking into his eyesight. It came like ripples on the surface water, murking his vision once and peeling out the layers of his sclera. Neji hated the feeling. His could feel his eyes jerking everywhere but his target and he struggled to keep his eyelids open. Neji shut his eyes and opened them again. Each time, the black and white void mingled with what he saw, slowing down time to give him time to react accordingly to Sasuke’s assault. Quickly, the mukōgan became overwhelmed with the pulsations and it felt as if Neji’s head might as well just explode.

“Fight me!” Sasuke hissed. He landed on his feet in a crouching stance as Neji forced him back. “It’s time to be on the offensive.”

Sasuke’s chest heaved. He wasn’t used to moving so much because taijutsu wasn’t his specialty and it exhausted him. Sasuke stared at the refined poise of his opponent, he merely blew a calm breath and stood up tall. Sasuke straightened up and saw the prodigy shut his eyes closed hard. His eyes narrowed, questioning now if it was truly a part of the prodigy’s dojutsu.

The pulsations were getting stronger and more painful. Neji gritted his teeth and he opened his eyes once more. The pain needled to every part of his body, threading savagely around his bones and muscles. He looked at Sasuke and managed to give him a nod. Neji will take on the offensive.

The bulging veins on Neji’s temples pierced through Sasuke’s focus. They definitely weren’t there before. Sasuke stiffened his stance and waited for the first move.

Neji’s chakra pooled at his feet. With one slight push on the ground, he was up in the air leaping toward the Uchiha in a flash. Sasuke’s eyes widen to fully take in the speed Neji surmounted.

A hot sensation encapsulated Neji’s right eye. It was a feeling he hadn’t felt before. Neji blinked once, thinking he’d be able to suppress the agonizing sensation. It didn’t work.

Sasuke blocked his attack, and then another.

The fiery sensation radiated to his left eye as Neji stepped in to close the gap between him and his opponent. He moved quickly, batting Sasuke’s knee from his peripherals with ease. And then his ears drowned out. Neji couldn’t hear anything, not even a ringing noise.

Sasuke heard Neji grunt and realized that he won’t be following through with his attack. He jumped backward whilst looking at Neji glaring at him.

The blue circumference finally reached the outer ring of the irises. The core of Neji’s chakra began to well and boil uncontrollably. Neji didn’t even have time to react or do anything. Without warning, his chakra core bursts, bypassing all tenketsu and forcing them open. The pent up force of chakra came out of his body like a powerful blast of air cannon. It threw Sasuke backward, toppling him out of the set parameters.

He landed on some rooftop assessing the wave of chakra violently ripping cloth signs and blowing commoners off their feet. The rest of his friends maintained their ground, but their upper bodies were bent backward. “What was that?!” Sasuke jumped down and headed toward the prodigy. The man was holding his eyes with a hand whilst looking down. “Oi, Neji-”

Another insurmountable wave sent Sasuke slipping from his position.

The tree branches rattled and Hinata activated her eyes. The air blasts came from her cousin and these air blasts were literally chakra. _“It’s as if, his whole body is capable of emitting the air wall palm.”_ she lost her balance on the third wave, causing Naruto to hold her. “Nii-san.”

The airwaves traveled far past the parameters, disturbing buildings near it. Sasuke couldn’t keep his close distance to Neji anymore. He fell back and took cover behind a building wall.

Neji grunted, crouching on his knees as he leaned his forehead to his forearm low on the ground. He gritted his teeth harder than before, trying to suppress the pulsations from exiting all of his tenketsu. His balled his fists with his eyes shut hard. It was even difficult to turn off his dojutsu.

“Neji!” Tenten’s footsteps approached him. She yanked him up and kneeled right in front of him. “Neji open your eyes!”

He couldn’t even raise his head to look at her.

“Let me assess him,” Sakura hurried over. Soon the rest would come too. “Neji-san, what’s going on?”

Neji gulped and slowly felt his chakra settle. The pulsations were gone but his body still burned with heat. Neji slowly opened his eyes to see Tenten’s hand caressing his cheek. Her eyes were stunned. “What happened?” Neji held her hand and pulled them down from his cheek. She shouldn’t be this close to him or this intimate.

“Turn off your eyes,” Tenten told him. However, Neji couldn’t.

“Nii-san,” he heard his cousin’s meek voice. “Your eyes have gone awry.”

“What was that?” Naruto asked him. He hadn’t done anything but watch, however, he was extremely exhausted.

Hinata looked at their surroundings. It looked like the aftermath of a regular air wall palm. “It’s the hakke kūhekishō, there’s no doubt,” she explained. Hinata’s dojutsu deactivated itself and she fell to the ground. She heaved, understanding that her cousin’s involuntary blast had closed most of her tenketsu. “You’ve blocked all of our chakra points, nii-san. But your eyes,” she paused, “they no longer resemble the byakugan.”

“Is it blue?” Neji asked. He removed his grasp of Tenten’s hands and she hurried to distance herself from him. She couldn’t even comfort him.

Hinata shook her head no.

“The ring of your pupil is a golden yellow, but everything else has turned blue,” Sakura described. “This isn’t the byakugan.”

“I’ll have my father look into this, nii-san,” Hinata struggled to her feet. “He’ll know what it is.”

“Hey! What was that blast?!” Ino ran over with Sai by her side.

Sakura glanced up to her in exhaustion, “Ino, please do us a favor as transport Neji to the hospital.”

“Huh?” Ino questioned. Her eyes widen at Neji’s unusual colored eyes. “You’ve got some explaining to do,” she told the pink haired woman. “Sai please help Neji-san up.”

Sakura sighed and looked at the distressed environment. “We’re so done for.” Who was going to pay for the mess?

.

.

“This is where we must separate, Naruto-kun,” Hinata drew the line at the door of the Hyuuga’s estate. All the head family members with the exception of her cousin resided there. It was somewhat like a palace of its own. “Thank you for sending me home.”

Naruto smiled and gripped her hand tightly, “I’ll see you off then,” he told her. Hinata gave him a simper before letting go of his hand. She straightened her shoulders and entered the gates.

Hinata passed by several members through the first building, the greeting building, and out onto the first courtyard. From there, there was an array of mazes she grew up learning. Walls after walls, and buildings after buildings, she’s made it to her home. Her father should be home. Hinata turned past the East gate, an unmarked gate where Neji’s home was. She paid no mind to some of her clan members as she walked past them. “Father!” She rudely called to him as she entered her own compound. Hinata climbed onto the engawa and opened her father’s study room.

“Seems like you’ve forgotten your manners as well,” her father appeared from the corner of the building. Hanabi followed behind him. “What are you yelling for?”

Hinata rushed to her father, “Nii-san’s eyes have changed, father. They’ve completely turned blue.”

Hiashi’s eyes narrowed in on her words. Why would it turn blue all of a sudden? “Where is Neji right now?”

“Nii-san is in the hospital-” her father immediately walked past her to the gates. “Father,” Hinata called to him. “Could nii-san’s eyes be the tensei-”

“We will discuss this later,” Hiashi interrupted her. “Follow me, Hanabi. You must witness it as well.”

Hinata’s heart shuttered and she followed them out the gate. She turned the opposite direction and headed straight for her grandfather’s compound.


	42. Wildflowers on the Path

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hiashi proposes that Neji take on being the Heir, but does not force him to do so during a family dinner. During that night, Neji thinks about his possibilities with Tenten, his dream of changing the clan, and which path to take.

Situated in the darker corner of the room as the day went on by, Hiashi’s mind looped over and over of his nephew’s changing eyes. The mythical eyes that were never supposed to exist nor be achieved by any human form, his nephew made it happen. Hiashi tightened his fists at the changing tides. The Hyuuga clan would riot and the clan's foundation would teeter if they ever found out the tenseigan was real. Hiashi recalled the astonished expression of his father as Neji showed the pair of eyes to him. Neiro couldn’t say anything and left the hospital.

Neiro received the diplomat’s meeting from the higher-ups, arranging a meeting too grand to settle the oddity that was his own grandson, Neji. Neiro was gone for the whole day and Hiashi couldn’t even meet up with his father to discuss Neji’s glowing potential. But even without ordering a formal discussion, Hiashi knew what his father was thinking. He decided to beat his father to it.

Hiashi arranged for his nephew to dine with them in the head household compound. His heart was shaky and he himself was uneasy. Hiashi rehearsed his proposals over and over. How many times had he pestered his nephew about becoming the heir? When would his nephew finally accept what’s truly his’?

When Neji arrived, there loomed a silent spell over his uncle’s home. On the way there, other members continue to give him a longstanding glance. Their whispers ceased to stop but the only thing on his mind, all that Neji could think about was how his byakugan looked like. Should he even still call it the byakugan? Or the mukōgan? Was there even a name for this? Neji remembered shakily holding the mirror up to his face. He remembered activating his eyes and seeing what Sakura described to him. Indeed, the pupil remained white and true in color but the rest was different. Everything changed. The golden ring around his pupil bled little streaks to the rest of his irises, mingling with the cerulean blue color the irises had taken on. He stepped into his uncle's household.

Neji spotted his family in the tea room. No one talked. Not even a murmur was sounded. He entered nonchalantly but he knew it was a matter more grave than just a dinner.

The dinner went awkwardly. Neji supposed this was how it felt like to eat with his family. And though it was weird to eat with his family, all that he thought about was sharing his meal with Lee and Tenten. It’s been a while now that he considered them as his own family. Eating with them made him feel fuller than before when he ate alone. His mind ran wild just thinking about it.

Lingering at the cleared table, Hiashi glanced at Neji and offered him an empty cup. Neji dutifully took it as his uncle poured tea into it. “Don’t worry about the havoc you caused today,” his uncle called to him, “it has been cleared and taken care of.”

“Thank you, uncle,” Neji brought the cup to his lips.

Before he could sip anything, Hanabi placed the heir’s trinket onto the table. Neji set the cup down in astonishment. This was a matter of discussion.

“I believe it is time to convince you to take on becoming the heir, Neji,” Hiashi told him. “You meet all the requirements and is more suitable for the role than your cousins.” His nephew was a head member, the blood of his own lineage, and more capable than anyone within the clan. He was strong, stronger than the arrogant Hiro. Neji was rightfully in the direct line to take over the Heir's duties.

Neji pushed the trinket back toward Hanabi, “Uncle, I can’t accept this. I have a duty out there.” All that he could imagine was Tenten. Neji thought hard on the subject. He had already given his answer before. If he took on being the heir, he'd be bound to the clan's estate and that meant that his time with her would be gone. Neji would rather stay a shinobi and stand closely beside her while he still could instead of being shut within the walls of the estate. 

“Neji, never in any lifetime has the tenseigan ever appeared in our history,” Hiashi explained to him, “you mustn’t let the mere Hyuuga customs bar you from your dedication to the clan.”

Hinata gripped her teacup tightly and brought it to her lips. She wondered what her brother was thinking.

If he could change the rules now, Neji would’ve done it long ago. If he didn’t realize his longing for Tenten, he would have taken the duty of the clan at the first mention. However, his love for her had no bounds. With each day, it grew bigger. The more they restrict themselves, the more he yearned for her. “Uncle, no matter how much I want to lead our clan, my propositions would never be agreed upon. Perhaps I was the tide that will flood and renew the clan, but I want to change it on my own accord. I'm sure there are alternative ways I can change these customs.” Neji met eyes with his uncle, “I know the most definite way is to be the heir, but my duty out there calls to me first.”

Hiashi knew just by the solemn look on his nephew’s face that his love for Tenten would never cease. “The elders are raised traditionally and have never bent the rules for anyone, not even a head member. But because of you, they’ve been stirring in their seats not knowing what to do.” Like a gift upon the clan, his nephew was born to change the Hyuuga fate. “I will not force you unless you truly accept it.”

Neji kept his uncle’s words to heart.

“Hanabi inhabits the title for you, and when you’re ready to take it, it will be yours.” Hiashi stood up, prompting all three of them to do the same to send him off, “I want to witness your ceremonial inauguration before I die, so please hurry with your answer.”

Hiashi walked out of the tea room and they all sat down again.

His uncle’s last words tinged at his heart. It didn’t need to be said because Neji knew that the fate they all shared was death, but to hear it from his uncle pained him. The ceremonial inauguration, Neji wondered how it felt like to be the person holding the title of the heir in that ceremony. He didn’t know what to do. It was as if he had no choice but to satisfy his uncle’s wants instead of his own.

.

.

A thin book was on the steps of his gate when Neji returned home. It wasn’t new, nor was it in good shape. Neji picked it up and flipped it around. It was old and quite wrinkled. He turned his head from side to side to see if anyone was near him and may have dropped it but there was no one. Even with the first day of Summer here, the night still remained cold. He walked in his compound with the book in hand.

Neji wanted to sleep, but he couldn’t. The book was on his mind and what his uncle asked of him was on his mind. He turned to face the joint door. His mind was running in circles. _“The universe is against us.”_ he imagined her beside him. She was an image of his mind; he couldn’t even touch her. Come to think of it, a whole lot of time had passed since he’s held her hand or looked her way with the same emotion he used to. Neji would lie that he’d gotten over his undying longing for her, but in truth, there was still a part that wanted her to be within his reach.

Just looking at her from afar, she said it would be enough to fill her whole. And he’d lie that he felt the same but there were times when it wasn’t enough. Neji hated those particular times, when the feeling in the air was just right, the temperature was just right, and the time of day was just right because his heart would spill and call to her. But like a fool, he couldn’t do anything because the universe said so.

There would never be another moment when their hands touch just for the sake of feeling each other’s warmth. There would never be another time when they spell out their love together. There would be no more kisses, no more intimate nights sitting under a street light, no more leaning on each other’s shoulders for the sake of being closer. And as for the things they haven’t done, perhaps walking alongside the Riverbend they used to train nearby, this time with hands intertwined and secured together, he supposed it’ll only be an imagination. There would always be a partial distance to what they do for one another. They’d only be able to share a lingering glance. The mouth couldn’t speak, because the heavens had ears. And so with each passing day, he’d only give her a reassuring smile. And she’d return with a beautiful grin so that the heavens wouldn’t understand.

Neji’s heartbeat dipped and quickened however it pleased. He wondered if just the mere thought of her, the mere sudden intense yearning for her would be noticed by the heavens. Their fate, their conditions for living their life as long as they could was so convenient, so lenient, but it was so fragile. If he ran to her now and pulled her into his arms, would they die in that instant? Or would their sins accumulate until the world broke?

Memorizing the shades of her eyes in different kinds of light became his specialty. Her eyes were like ambers, shining and glistening under any circumstances. Would it be wrong to think of her now? Neji let his mind run loose. The nuances of her features were one of a kind. Like a wildflower that grew low on the ground, no one would notice and take in its beauty unless they truly give their time to it. She was just like that, a little wildflower that caught his eyes. She grew on his path and he’d stepped on her multiple times throughout the years. At times he’d acknowledge her presence. But it was when he fell, almost at the gates of death did he seriously look at the wildflower closely and admire how beautiful she was. From the tip of her petals, like the adorable tip of her nose to the little flaws on her face that makes her flawless and one-of-a-kind to him, he could only admire from afar. Neji couldn’t pluck her up for she’d die.

Neji laid back onto his back and stared at the ceiling. Even when he thought everything was going fine, the world had their ways with him. His choice to choose was ripped out of his hands. It had always been others who manipulated his life and molded him to fit into theirs. He was an asset, as he saw it, to the clan. Neji hated this life and this lifetime. The only place where his choices somehow mattered was when he was out there with Lee, his teacher, and Tenten that he felt he impacted the world. His eyes glanced to the old and thin book that was left by his doorstep. The book’s presence wasn’t a coincidence; his uncle must have had someone place it there.

 _“If I choose this path, I’d lose seeing you on my way to tomorrow.”_ Becoming the heir of the Hyuuga wasn’t something he necessarily wanted. Neji never really thought about being the greedy one for the title. He knew it was the only way to change the future of the clan but he’d risk a major part of his life if he did so.

The path of the Hyuuga Heir was shrouded with shadows. On each side of the path grew tall bamboos. If he looked up, there would be no sky to soar to. The bamboos curved and caved him in. The path becomes darker and the beauty of the wildflowers doesn’t exist. It could not grow and spread here. Ahead would be well-groomed orchids, patterned and potted, lying on either side waiting to be admired and picked up to be taken home. Neji thought about Hanri as one of the dozens of orchids waiting to be taken home. No matter how beautiful she was, she was fragile. One snap of the stem of that one potted orchid and it ceased to grow the same. It was why he’d taken a liking to the wildflowers underneath his feet. Like Tenten, they were persistent and flourishing. All that they needed were the most minimal of love. Their devotion took on a resemblance to her love for him. From afar, she’d love him and that was enough to her to continue loving.

He’s gone full circle again. Thinking about her love for him was as easy as killing enemies. The way she loved was so simple because she asked for so little. Neji blew a heavy sigh and sat up. He couldn’t pretend to sleep anymore. He opened the door and moved closer to the edge of the engawa. He was never keen on gazing at the moon until now. The moon looked down on him. It acted as the universe that kept its eye on his every move. If he moved in his uncle’s path, would it stop looking at him? The wildflowers wouldn’t grow for him and he’d grow to miss them more and more, but would he be able to never look back? Would he be able to abandon the bright path from which the wildflowers grew?

Neji couldn’t bear to leave Tenten. The moment he’s sworn over the title of the heir, the tall walls of the Hyuuga compounds would become his sky. Surrounding him would be the orchids waiting in line to be his maiden. He’d never be able to stray from this path, this compound ever, to admire the wildflowers. Leaving Tenten meant refusing her from this love of theirs because all that she needed was to see him in order for her to thrive. Must they stretch their love so thinly? _“Just with the thought of me, will your love continue to bloom for me?”_ Would the image of him in her memories be enough to keep her loving him?

 _“I will see you thrive and reach your dreams from afar,”_ he recalled her words to him. The wildflowers won’t be able to see him once he’s engulfed in the shadows of the alternate path to his dream. She won’t be able to see him reach his dreams. Neji’s eyes continue to stare at the moon. It wasn’t a pretty moon because he saw himself staring right back at him. The moon was like a reflection, a mirror of himself. Bearing the resemblance of the byakugan, it stared right back at him, unblinking and cold. It was distant, and it bore into his soul. It read all his wants and his troubles. If he were to be another commoner, would it fare much better to walk along the path now? To admire the wildflowers without haste and spend as long as he wanted to draw in every nuance of the little flower? If he were a commoner, he’d already settled down with his love.

He flipped the book open out of necessity. The light of the moon became his lantern of the night. “Eyes of the Heavens: the Tenseigan,” Neji murmured. He instinctively touched his the socket of his eye at the name. The tenseigan was what he had. Neji flipped through the book, not wanting to read it in all its seriousness. He closed the book after the last page. Just by skimming through it, there was no definite list of abilities detailed at all. The book was more like a mythical book. Sort of like one of Nara’s books on this magical deer antler that was harvested to treat anything. Neji snickered, remembering how he even got around that book.

Again, the thought of her entered his mind. The temperature was right, the lighting was right, and his heart continued to call for her. She’d never pick up anyway because she wasn’t supposed to but Neji didn’t mind. He only wished that in times like these where his heart frantically called to her, her own heart was doing the same.

His memories of her were found. They were at the Nara library and she was looking through stacks of books to find the perfect weapon to create. Lee was stretched on his chair sleeping because he hated researching. As for him, he opted to walk around and found a tattered leather book on a shelf too old to be standing. Neji remembered glancing at his teammate’s figure flipping intensely through one of her books. Back then, he didn’t even give a second thought to her antics. But with nostalgia on his mind, the image of her concentrating too hard on a book as big as her torso made him simper. He didn’t have to look at her at that moment, but he did so anyway. Neji wondered if he felt like this all along, the feeling of longing for her when he hadn’t known that he wanted her.

Looking out to the pitch black courtyard, it reminded him of her time here. If they were married, if he remained a branch member, they’d be so happy here. Neji glanced to the tall building that hung over the direction of his gates. Its dark silhouette toppled all other buildings around them. The head family estate was a place he dreaded. In there, he’d lose the happiness out here. If he were to take on his uncle’s words, he’d have to discard this place where his father and mother lived and move into the estate. Neji was just glad that his uncle did not force him to enter the estate when the clan approved of him becoming a head member. This place, this quaint and humble home was where he grew up. Even if he couldn’t grow old with her beside him in this home, he’d rather be where he was most familiar.

.

.

“Next time, stay away from Neji-san,” Sakura bandaged a gauze onto Sasuke’s cheek. He’d received most of the chakra waves’ devastation because he was too close to the onslaught. “Don’t cause them trouble, I don’t want anyone to get hurt anymore.”

Sasuke’s eyes floated to her fingers moving around his cheeks. No one would know of her impeccable strength if they looked at her hands. And when she retracted them back to the tray, his eyes followed her. He didn’t know if what he was doing was subconscious or not, or if it had any feelings attached to it, but all that he wanted to do was to continue stealing glances of her. He understood now that she couldn’t change for him because she’s made it clear yesterday. And if she did truly welcome him the same way, why did he feel so empty? Sasuke turned away when she turned around to give him an ointment container.

“Here,” she roughly placed the container onto his hand. “Don’t try to be invincible, Sasuke. I still need to see you off too.” She collected her things and showed him out of her office.

He really didn’t think she’d be so serious with the hospital. Perhaps being the one in charge really made her professional to her patients, even to him. Sasuke walked out with her holding the door and he couldn’t help but turn back to her. If she were to be the old person she used to be, he’d see her blushing the tender pink flushes on her cheeks to match with her hair color. However, she merely gave him a questionable look.

“What is it?” she asked. “Do you have an inquiry?”

The seconds passed by, but it felt like genuine minutes just reading her expression. “Why are you so dedicated this line of work?” Her expression changed and he noted that as well. “When the shinobi ban is lifted, you’ll return to being a shinobi. You won’t stay here forever.”

“I can do both,” she grinned at him. He knew that grin was mostly fake. “Naruto will work for peace out there and I will mostly be here to change the shinobi world, well, change the medical infrastructure.” Her explanation earned him a confused brow. “The world has to change, Sasuke. You wanted it to change didn’t you?”

Sasuke did want it to change. He was in the midst of working toward that change as well. “I do. For us,” he added. “For all three of us,” he corrected himself.

She gave him a simple smile, “Me too, for us and all of our friends.” Sakura’s mind lingered on Tenten once more. _“For her sake, she has to be happy too.”_

“Sakura-chan!”

Sakura looked beyond Sasuke’s shoulder and her eyes lit up, “Lee-san!” Sasuke watched as the woman he was losing his grip over brightened up at the sight of the bowl-haired man. “I have to go, I’ll see you around Sasuke. Don’t forget to apply the ointment three times a day.”

“Here for Gai-sensei’s medications?”

“Yep!”

He watched as she hurried to him, her tone changed when she was with other people. She seemed so genuinely elated around others when she’s not with him. She seemed so animated and carefree when she’s not with him and somehow, it hurt him. Sasuke took one last look at the woman that pained him. If he were to have memories of her, his last memories of her should be the ones when she was happy.

.

.

A refugee having an affair with a highly proclaimed member of the most prestigious clan in Konoha? Neji scoffed at the Aburame’s boldness. He wondered if the man knew that they caught on. Neji spied on the Aburame sneaking into the Hyuuga compound to meet with the Hyuuga woman. He read their lips. They talked about nothing of his interest for the third night. The Aburame came every night and he always left with a piece of food the Hyuuga stowed away for him. Neji knew that the man should be of concern, but there was still humanity in the man’s consciousness.

Shikamaru relayed the message that Shino shouldn’t be implicated in on the mission and so Neji was left spying once more. He hated intruding on other people’s privacy because it was not the correct use of his eyes. And though Shikamaru insisted he stop spying because of what happened yesterday with Sasuke and his’ spar, he didn’t heed the man’s words. Once the greatest pulsation took over his body, he no longer felt pain. Furthermore, he found no difference to the tenseigan’s eyes compared to the mukōgan’s. Surely, with prolonged usage, he’d be able to tell the difference but he won’t be able to use it extensively within the village. The safest place to practice and train with these new eyes was out on the training fields as a precautionary measure to avoid a catastrophe.

Once again, the day went by mundanely. There were no palpable movements of the five suspects and he prepared himself to meet with Lee and Tenten for their scheduled training session.

He’d see her today, and once more after that, and the day after that, and it’ll repeat until peace befell their land. Neji simpered to himself at the thought of holding her hand with the intent to love. He couldn’t wait until the day he would finally wake up with her by his side and not think of any worries for being too close to her.

For now, he trekked on the bright path with the wildflowers accompanying his way to tomorrow. Just as he exited his gates, he looked back behind him, back to the path of flourishing untouched wildflowers. He wanted to play them a tune to express his gratitude for their being there. The sound of the gǔqín in the distance nostalgically came to him. Neji turned around and headed for the village gates. His smile grew wider just reminiscing of that day with just him and her under the engawa as they laughed and jollied to the tunes he made with the instrument.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be a good place to start fleshing out internal monologues and bring to light other characters and their relationships. Certain chapters proceeding from this point onwards will have certain relationships implicated that will not move the plot. Just a heads, up.


	43. Short Goodbyes Before Parting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tenten meets Neji at the village gates before he heads out on the Convoy Mission to the Kage Summit. Naruto wants to join them on the mission.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time skip!

It was a day before his birthday, Neji packed what little he had on the journey to the Kage Summit. He wondered why all these months passed by and he hadn’t even given her a birthday present yet. Celebrating birthdays weren’t their thing because he said he didn’t like it. The only time his birthday was celebrated was when she gave him the katana. That was his first and last present from her. Furthermore, he never cared to reciprocate for the years he’s known her. Neji would be turning eighteen tomorrow, which meant she was already eighteen. He sighed and fastened the pouch on the back of his waist. He ought to celebrate her birthday in the coming year. Neji wanted to see her before he set off with the rest of the tiny convoy.

She was by the village gates waiting for him. Neji walked to her with an uneasy heart. With just their eyes meeting, his worries grew. Like old pals, he approached her carefully, setting the barrier that they’ve agreed upon for their sake. “I was looking for you,” she said to him.

Neji smiled, nodding to her spoken words, “So was I.”

“I wanted to see you off,” she told him. “To get my fill of you for the long journey you’ll be gone for.” She said it so effortlessly.

That was her not so slight confession of her yearning for him. Tenten simpered and crossed her arms as he chuckled. At the shortest, the mission would take a month. She prayed that it’ll be the shortest time.

“Hopefully, when I return, peace will begin to be reinstated,” he replied to her. “So that we’ll be able to begin to close this distance between us.”

“And?”

Neji couldn’t help but grin. “And pursue us, which only began to be undone.” He earned a laugh from her as the others began to arrive: Sasuke walked along with Shikamaru. The carriage followed after with the Hokage inside. “It’s getting warmer, so drink a lot of water. Don’t train too much while I’m gone.”

“I will,” she replied instantaneously.

“Also, stay alive for me,” he wanted to hold her so much, but he couldn’t. If their sins were to accumulate, this would be one of them. No matter how right the environment was for him, he couldn’t do as he pleased.

Tenten’s expression sterned, “I should be the one telling you that.” If the rule was lenient enough, she would have pulled him into an embrace without a second thought. She’d hug him in front of his superiors, in front of his friends, their friends, only because she was uncertain when she’ll get to feel him against her arm. But that longing would have to wait, as it had waited for many months since their resolve on the bridge at the shrine. And so she lightly punched him on the arm, a friendly gesture from comrade to comrade for now. “Come back alive.”

She stretched her pinky out to him. It was a promise, another lifetime bet for them. Neji interlocked their pinkies briefly, “I will.” They both drew back to their set distance before she stepped away from him.

Their conversation was cut short because the convoy had reached their bubbles. Tenten gave them all a slight bow of the head before returning back to the village. Neji’s eyes lingered on her figure before they averted to Shikamaru. She’s gotten thinner than before.

Shikamaru nodded to him with a smug smile. It was still weird to see Neji and Tenten so familiarly executing the charades of their comradeship. The only thing that would give it away was the second-too-long glances they’d give to one another. Seeing them act this way brought about the prospect of finally seeing Temari after the war. “Naruto has been talking to everyone about peace to the shinobi world for your sake,” he stopped walking once he approached the prodigy. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he tagged along.”

“You’re damn right!” From above the village gates, down came Naruto in his gear. “Sakura-chan told me this mission is the beginning for peace so I’m coming whether you guys like it or not!” He shot all of them a grin and a thumbs up, resembling that of Lee and Gai-sensei’s signature nice guy pose.

Neji completely ignored Naruto’s entrance and his attention returned to Shikamaru, “For my sake?” Shikamaru nodded. Neji turned to Naruto and looked at him.

Naruto fervently nodded, “I said I’ll change both your fate didn’t I?” He chuckled childishly while Sasuke ignored the shenanigans.

Out from the carriage, Kakashi peeked through the curtains, “Naruto, you’re staying behind.”

“What?!” Naruto skipped to him, “Why Kakashi-sensei-” his words slurred, “Kakashi-sama.”

Kakashi rubbed his temples and pointed to Iruka on the sidelines. “I need you to stay behind and protect the village. Iruka-sensei will debrief you.”

Staying behind? Naruto gulped. It was a big duty that Kakashi asked of him. And though the winter and spring seasons went by smoothly, though Naruto felt as if the Summer season might go about the same way, he gladly took on the duty. He grinned reassuringly to his former teacher. “You’re right, there has to be a hero to stay and watch over the people!”

As if that was everyone’s cue, Naruto watched as the convoy left without further to say. He couldn’t help but let his eyes remain on the Hyuuga’s back. The prodigy must return valiantly and unscathed. This mission was a mission for peace and Naruto knew that Neji needed this change the most out of all of them. He turned to Iruka, expecting a long haul of information regurgitated back at him.

Just as they moved out, Sasuke kept the shared moment between the prodigy and the weapon’s mistress at hand. He didn’t know why he thought about it for so long. He also didn’t know why he imagined a particular person waiting by the village gates for him. Sasuke glanced at the Hyuuga behind all of the convoy. Every half hour or so, the white eyes would activate for three to five minutes and survey the area and then it would turn off.

He wondered if he was in a better position. To be inadvertently pushed away by the one he loved, or to be pried away because of love by the consequences of fate, which would hurt more? Does knowing that death awaited at every corner of their love hurt more? Or does the mere prospect of never being able to confess his point across hurt more? Sasuke wondered how it would be to be in the prodigy’s shoes. He wondered if he’d be content and satisfied with charading a platonic friendship with the one he loved even though they both knew how much they wanted each other. No. He didn’t want to compare. Love was a bond that transcended time, he learned from the prodigy’s fate. They may have tied with the spar, but the prodigy won in the case of a hard and troubling love.

Sakura wouldn’t be standing by the village gates, even though it was so in her character to see her teammates off. But she wasn’t here, probably for the fact that he wasn’t really in Team 7 anymore. Or that she’s too busy, but he took a liking to the first option more.

Sasuke came into terms with his dilemma regarding the pink-haired kunoichi. Ever since that fateful day, seeing her uplifting smile to someone else, he understood why he was so lonely. The problem was that he wasn’t lonely. He misinterpreted it. Sasuke was, in fact, missing her. He could confidently say it now that he missed her but now, he would never let her know. She didn’t need to know because she was happy with how she was now. He’d burden her if he did. She wouldn’t change for him and that was fine. It was better to keep it a secret that he missed her than to confess after all he’s done to her. _“It would hurt less, wouldn’t it?”_ She outright rejected him before he even knew the real reason why he acted so brash. But now that he knew the true reason why he did what he did, and now that he knew her answer to him, there was no point in pursuing it further.

In the back of his mind was the prodigy once again. He wondered if it hurt to know that even if they could love, they’d never be together. He wondered if he was the same for him and Sakura. If he pulled her close to him and truly confess and say those three words, would she come to him? Or would she pummel him to ashes? Would it be worth it to even give it a try?

“On your left, Sasuke.”

He snapped out of his trance once he heard the prodigy’s voice. They were only five hours away from the village and someone was already following them. “A rogue ninja from the Sound. One o’clock, two kilometers.”

Without saying anything, he jumped into the brushes.


	44. Eight Promises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shikamaru has been stalling his final confession to Temari to the point where Neji has to make a move for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Setting: Kage Summit

Shikamaru stood in the vestibule waiting for Temari to walk through the door. He was on shift guarding the doors for the seventh night at the Kage Summit. For the first seven times that she walked through those doors, he didn’t have the courage to ask to talk to her. He hadn’t said more two words to her for the first week that they’ve got here.  _ In just one more minute, she’d walk through those doors. _ Shikamaru gulped hard and he made a habit of twirling his thumbs. Tonight, he was alone guarding the doors.  _ If she just- _

Temari busted through the door with a loud groan. “Seriously, get off my ass!” She slammed the door shut and stared at Shikamaru. “Damn Kankurou,” she murmured under her breath. Temari straightened her kimono and reverted her stare. Shikamaru wouldn’t know, but she purposefully walked through this door just so that she’d see him. From the last seven days, including today, it looked as if the year-long distance that separated them must have taken a toll on him. She glided past him to the annex where Gaara’s temporary study hall was.  _ He’s not going to speak to me today. _ Temari may have passed him, but in the back of her mind, she wondered if he was looking at her. She sighed mentally and turned the corner.

“Shh,” Neji pressed his index finger to his lips. Temari froze at the sight of seeing the Konoha shinobi telling her not to make a sound. His expression was plain and she wondered why he was even here in the first place. His shift wouldn’t begin until the next morning. 

“Me?” She mouthed and pointed to herself with an astonished face. The pearly-eyed man nodded once. They waited for two seconds before he started to shoo her back to the vestibule. Temari was stunned. She gulped and slowly turned around. She understood what was going on now. _Why am I even going back there? He won't speak to me._

Temari quietly stepped back out to the vestibule and turned to Shikamaru, his back was what she was met with. _He didn't look back._  She couldn’t believe that the man whom she might just have an inkling of feelings for was this timid to the point that someone else had to intervene. 

It was quite embarrassing to know that despite Shikamaru’s attraction to her was openly stated long ago, she would feel so small in his presence right now. His attraction was only just his’. His feelings were just his’. Temari remembered the first time he approached her and asked to date. For some reason, she was afraid that her personality wouldn’t fit with his’. After all, his feelings were just his’.  _ “Are you sure about that?” _ she remembered asking him.  _ “Let me see, if we meet again after ten times and you still feel the same way, then ask me again.” _

She had been counting the times that they’ve met.  _ Seven, we’ve met seven times. _  On seven separate occasions, she's counted them without fail. Temari’s eyes bounced from each of his shoulders of his back. She turned her head toward Neji who was still standing in her peripherals. He gave her a definite nod before retreating into the shadows. Temari wondered why she was taking orders from someone she didn’t know all too well. Perhaps, Temari thought, her inkling of feelings for Shikamaru might all too real. She turned her head back to Shikamaru and her heart dropped. He was looking right back at her. His expression was her’s. Her heartbeat began to run, beating faster and faster in her chest.  _ Your feelings have become mine. _

“Uh,” was all she could manage. Temari licked her lips and blinked, trying to remain composed. 

Shikamaru didn’t expect for Temari to still be in the vestibule. He swore she was gone. And now, he was face to face with her. Why was her expression so similar to his’? Did she feel the same way? He didn’t know. 

“I— I should go,” Temari stumbled around and turned away from him. Indeed, her heart was running to the heavens and back. 

“Temari,” Shikamaru called to her. “About your ten promises.” 

She turned a chin to him, “What about it?” Temari cursed herself, her question came out a little too aggressively. 

“Can we shorten it?” Shikamaru rubbed the back of his neck uneasily and shyly glanced at her. Rosy tints planted themselves onto Temari’s cheeks. She looked away from the man who used to be shorter than her. “Temari,” his tone hazed desperation and he took one step closer to her. 

Temari held her breath, something she never normally do. When she first fought him, she never thought they’d be standing against one another again. This time, there was no animosity, no agonizing clawing to win over each other, no strategies that he needed to pull. This time, there was just him and his horrible communication skills. Temari’s heart skipped a beat. 

“I guess?” she retorted. 

“Are you saying it just because?” Shikamaru asked.

Temari shrugged him off, “It’s because you asked.”

Shikamaru strode closer to her, unsure if he could exist in a space so close to her. “You know what I’m implying, right?”

“You want to shorten the number of promises, right?” he nodded. “Then yes, I do.” Seven promises were less than ten, but right now, at this point in time, she too couldn't wait to reach the tenth time when they meet. Her feelings had become apparent and she strongly felt as so.

But why was she so nonchalant about it? Shikamaru took one final step and closed the distance between them. If she didn’t like him, if she didn’t feel the same way, would she allow him to be this close to her? Shikamaru brought his face closer to her’s, leaning down over her. He had grown taller than the woman who used to belittle his height. They’ve grown quite a lot. 

Shikamaru knew that at that moment, they shared the same kind of feelings for each other. Long ago, it was just him who harbored feelings for her. He brought his lips closer to her’s, trying to test where they were along the line of their intimacy. To his surprise, she didn't back down nor push him away.

Temari didn’t move, she didn’t even breathe at all. He walked past her bubble, easily pressing his chest, his vest directly onto her own. And for an unknown reason, she didn’t want to move. The boy she used to berate to oblivion had perched himself on her shoulder and she let him because- well because she sort of missed him. Temari gripped her fists and a tingling shock traveled up her spine. His breath touched her lips. She blinked, feeling her body, her bones, her muscles rack. His kissed her. Temari’s eyes widen, staring at his closed eyes and how his eyelashes fluttered gingerly. His kiss, however short it was for she wasn’t comprehending, sent shockwave after shockwaves through her body. 

Shikamaru pulled away after planting a chaste peck onto Temari’s lips. He looked into her eyes; she was a blank slate. “What is that look?” he asked. 

Temari snapped from her initial shock, barely registering the warmth of his kiss. She judged him, “You call that a kiss?” 

Shikamaru huffed, returning a smirk. “This is the eighth time we’ve met.”

“And?” Temari lifted her chin up to him as he leaned to her lips once more.

“If you don’t want to return home with me after this mission,” he pecked her lips, “then I’ll be glad to make it nine promises for when you do decide to come to live with me.”

Temari’s fingers clung onto the back of Shikamaru’s vest, “Stop talking and kiss me properly.” 

Shikamaru's smile widen. He didn’t need to be told twice. He placed his hand onto her cheek and wrapped the other around her waist to expel whatever space there was left between them. Shikamaru captured her lips for the third time, pressing more than he allowed the first two times. 

Without exchanging more than just a few words, she had made it clear that she felt the same way. Shikamaru deepened their kiss, letting his lips part to feel her warmth. 

Without saying those pesky words, those pesky “I love you” words, she’s made it clear that what brief moments they had in the past, it had turned into a beautiful film for them to treasure. Shikamaru parted from her, breathing heavily. One day, perhaps one day he’ll tell her that he loved her. 

Temari pulled Shikamaru into a tight embrace. This was their first hug from all those times they’ve met. It felt good to be in his arms. She didn’t have to think about what it felt like to be held or to be kissed anymore. “Why did you want to shorten our promises anyway?” Temari drew in a breath, taking in his scent. “It’s not like you’re gonna die or something.”

Shikamaru recalled the first time and only time he settled on wanting to shorten their promises. He was sitting in the back of Sai’s booth during the Hanami Festival. While Ino and Sakura berated him for almost always thinking about Temari every chance he got, he thought about it. He thought about when he’d be able to see her again and there were many reasons as to why he wanted to shorten it. 

Shikamaru wouldn’t call War troublesome. He’d be too generous to label it just as that. War was something that made him realize that in the darkest times, it was where he was the most vulnerable. Easily, as if it was a habit, he began to absorb Ino’s enthusiasm about settling down.  _ “Wouldn’t it be good to come home and know that someone is waiting for you? To know that someone is waiting for you to return, that is enough of a reason to fight and live for the next day.”  _ And for a spiraling second, all that he thought about was the Suna kunoichi to whom he asked out to date long ago. It would be good to return home to someone, to someone he loved. 

It was because of Neji, that torn seclusive shinobi, that made Shikamaru settle on this finality to ask Temari for the final time to be his’. Though he and Temari were nothing of the sort, comparable nor similar to the white-eyed prodigy and his lover, Shikamaru was deathly afraid that he and Temari would never come together like Neji and Tenten. Because she lived too far away and because she’s rejected him before in the politest way she could, he was afraid that he wouldn’t be able to live without her. The long distance, the literal distance that barred him from reaching out to her was far more excruciating to bear because she was so far away. The shinobi ban was too cruel to him. Shikamaru wondered if it would be better to trade places with Neji when he discovered that the prodigy carried a fate almost comparable to Shikamaru’s demise. To be unable to love the woman you know your feelings were true for, would it hurt less to have her so close to you? Or would it hurt less to let the earth’s distance be the barrier to your love? 

Shikamaru held Temari closer in his arms upon the thought of those questions. Perhaps he was luckier. Because he didn’t have to bear fate’s cruelty, he believed he was the one suffering less than the prodigy.  _ No, I’d never ask myself that question ever _ . It must be more painful to see the one you love day by day and know that you’ll never have her than to know that the only thing preventing you from loving her was the distance between two nations. 

“It’s because I was afraid to wait,” his breath shuddered. 

Shikamaru asked Temari to date him before the war. At the time, he didn’t even know there would be a war. Perhaps it was because he confessed and because she gave him their ten promises, that he fought to live. She was one of the reasons why he wanted to live. 

“We have enough reasons to love one another. I don’t want to let anything stop us from pursuing us,” Shikamaru drew back from her embrace and his thumbs brushed her cheeks, “I don’t want to regret not loving this face.”

Temari chuckled and placed her hands on top of his’. “I should’ve returned with you after the war was over, then maybe we wouldn’t have gone through a silent year.” She earned a grin from him, “I think you should thank that Hyuuga guy for making me walk back here.” 

Shikamaru raised a brow, “Was that why you were still here?”

She nodded, “He shooed me off to you like I was a kid.”

Shikamaru laughed, “I didn’t think he would’ve caught on to my-”

“Your cowardice?”

“My lack of confidence to ask you out.”

“Same thing.” Temari curled her fingers onto his hands and pulled them from her cheeks, “I’ll get going now.” Temari turned around and walked away from the vestibule, “Goodnight, Shikamaru.”

Shikamaru’s eyes widen. In all the time that he’d known her, she had never called him by his name. “Goodnight, Temari,” his voice trailed off as she disappeared from the corner. Her name was beginning to become a regular vocabulary to his tongue. A shy smile grew on his lips. If she truly returned with him to Konoha after the War was over, it would be quite a spectacle. They were only sixteen then, marrying at that age would be buzzworthy, coming from the Nara clan. 

On their eighth promise, she promised to marry him when they meet again. Shikamaru turned back toward the door. He couldn't stop smiling. "If that's the case then, when I meet you for the ninth promise, you'll become my wife."


	45. Cold Quarters and Cold Beds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke asks to have a private conversation with Neji after his shift safeguarding the Kage Summit. Their conversation steers to a certain kunoichi.

Staying cooped up at the Kage summit was almost equivalent to not working at all, if one considered looking at the treetops and the ground level for hours on end as work. Neji knew it was just a precaution, but there were more than thirteen precautionary measures and barriers put up around the area. If triggered, he’d be the first to find out. Neji retracted his tenseigan and felt a presence behind him. He looked back, finding Sasuke walking up to him. 

“Shikamaru told me to get you,” Sasuke told him. “Something about overworking or whatever.”

“Got it,” Neji replied. 

It was more than two months ago when Shikamaru came to him when he came out of the shower, confronting him about spying on him. That was the only light-hearted thing that had occurred since he came here. Neji began to walk back to his quarters and realized that Sasuke was following. He turned around to confront the man. 

“You’re not on shift tonight?”

Sasuke shook his head no, “She is,” he pointed to Temari walking out of the door. 

Neji merely raised a brow and continued onward. He gave Temari a slight nod, acknowledging her presence before passing her. If Shikamaru wanted him to rest, sending Temari up to tell him whilst taking over his shift would’ve been fine. Therefore, there was no point for Sasuke to come all the way up to the rooftop to pass down the message. Neji turned to Sasuke once more, “Did you want a debriefing?” he supposed the Uchiha might want to know what he saw whilst on shift, but it wouldn’t be too pleasing nor interesting.

“I’d like to talk to you in private,” Sasuke told him. 

Neji walked through the doors into the hallway, “You couldn’t wait until I shower?”

“I can wait until you’re done,” Sasuke expected the Hyuuga to spare him time but perhaps he was wrong.

“Give me thirty minutes,” Neji told him. “I’ll meet you in the main corridor and we’ll go from there.”

Sasuke turned around and headed to his room. Neji opened the door to his quarters and closed it. It was a tiny room, quite like Tenten’s studio except that it was missing a bed, a kitchen, and a dining set. In the middle of the room laid an uncomfortable futon under a cold hardwood floor. He walked past the futon, kicking his shoes off and began to undress. The emptiness loomed around him whenever he was here in his quarters. Though the room was small, it seemed to expand whenever he entered. The space enlarged, expectantly emphasizing how hollow it was. It constantly reminded him of how far she was from him. Neji pulled the turtleneck shirt over his head and grabbed his towel. He huffed, turning the water on. It was cold, always cold. 

If it were not for Sasuke requesting an audience from him, Neji would’ve spent a good two or three hours just sitting in the bath. He tried not to do it so often since the day Shikamaru snuck into his room and waited for him to get out to tell him to politely get out of his relationship.  _ “What? Were you jerking off in there?” _ Neji brushed the ill memory off. Though he disliked wetting his hair, he found sitting in a bath of cold water to be more relaxing than meditating. Neji actually picked up the habit from Tenten herself. She told him that it calmed her, cooled her body, and relaxed her muscles more than meditating with him. They were fifteen when she ditched him under the tree to dive into the nearby spring river. Since then, despite not telling her, he had begun to take in her habit in secrecy. Surely, it was better than meditating, though a little bit vulnerable since he was mostly naked when undergoing it. 

The cold water flashed his muscles when Neji opted for a shower since a certain Uchiha was waiting. Whenever he took cold showers, especially here at the Kage Summit since there was no boiler, he often thought about Tenten. She had a very bad habit of running to the Nara Library after training to research on making her own weapons. But instead of returning to Lee and him with information on weaponry subjects, she'd return with trivial facts that clogged his mind. 

_ “Look!” Tenten handed him a little note she pinched between her index and middle finger, “Guess what I learned yesterday?!”  _ They were fifteen back then.  _ “Cold water on your skin makes you heal faster!” she pointed to the bruises Lee gave her in yesterday’s spar. “I went home and took a shower and today, it’s almost gone! Normally, it would’ve taken three days to disappear but-” without warning, she punched his arm hard. He flinched and rolled his sleeve up. A bruise began to form. “I promise I’m not lying Neji, don’t give me that look!”  _ He remembered her dragging his sleeve to the edge of the river. It was the middle of February. 

Neji naturally felt the place that she punched him. The bruise was no longer there but his nerves remembered the pain. He smiled briefly, reminiscing all the places she’s inherently touched him. Whether those touches, those punches, those scars, whether they were purely accidental or intended, he wholly accepted them because they were from her. Suddenly, with just the mere thought of their old days, it seemed as if there was a tint of warmth from the spout. And when he stepped out of the shower and into his tiny room, the ceaseless expansion had stopped. Neji’s lips curved. The room had become a little more bearable to sleep in.

.

.

Sasuke was leaning at the other end of the corridor when Neji arrived. Though Naruto and many others may say that they had a lot in common and acted the same, Neji didn’t believe so. “What seems to be the problem, Uchiha Sasuke.” Neji stopped in front of him but he faced forward out to the opening where the balcony was. They weren’t close, but working together had brought them to a mutual understanding. 

Sasuke stood upright and stood next to him whilst looking out to the balcony as well.  _ “Don’t cause them trouble…” _ Sakura’s words rang in his mind profusely. He crossed his arms, “When I asked to spar, it wasn’t solely to test my abilities against you. What you said about me was right. I defeated a God and I shouldn’t be meddling with a person like you. But you really caught me off guard, I must admit it.”

“That’s what you want to talk about?”

“I asked to spar because I wanted to see your potential,” Sasuke continued. “Naruto said you were one of the strongest people he’s fought and because you came from the Hyuuga clan, I wanted to see if you’ll have the potential to help me get my clan back.”

Neji’s eyes immediately darted to the shorter man, “How do you suppose I do that?” Sasuke remained quiet. Neji let his mind run across every span of Sasuke’s bleak proposal. “If you’re asking for a marriage between the Hyuuga Clan and the Uchiha Clan, you shouldn’t be asking me.”

“Marrying a woman from a prominent Clan such as yours will surely help bring notoriety my way, but that is not what I want.” It would surely help him rise in honor, but Sasuke hadn’t the slightest thought to take that route.

“Then get straight to the point.”

“I want you to help me push the other clans into giving back the land that once belonged to my clan.” Sasuke turned to him with stern eyes, “I want what’s rightfully mine back, but with only myself, the other clan leaders would definitely not budge.”

“Your Clan’s land had been dispersed and allocated to more than five clans in the village, Sasuke, even if I want to help you, I won’t be able to. I have no wager on what my uncle does in the diplomacy.” Neji returned the stare, “What you said has nothing to do with why you wanted to spar with me.”

Sasuke rebutted, “No, it does. You have a different set of eyes apart from your clan. I heard that your uncle is set on making you the heir.”

“How did you get that information?”

Sasuke looked back out to the balcony, “Naruto asks too many questions about you to your cousin.”

Neji grimaced, “And you’re stuck to his waist wherever he goes.”

“Not true.”

“Sure.”

“So,” Sasuke slyly brought back the point of the conversation, “are you going to help me or not?”

Neji looked back out to the balcony, “I am not going to be the heir to my clan.”

“I’ll just wait until you change your mind then,” Sasuke bit back.

Neji’s brows raised at the latter’s conviction. “You’re not serious are you?” Sasuke passed him a half-glare. For someone whom he barely talked with, Sasuke sure knew how Neji was. His uncle was adamant on the issue with the Hyuuga heir. He hadn’t really got a break from it being mentioned since the war. 

“There’s one other thing,” Sasuke drew Neji back into the conversation. The prodigy looked at him. Immediately, Neji could tell what Sasuke was feeling. 

The somber look in those dark orbs, there was no doubt that Uchiha Sasuke was in a conflicting turmoil of his own. Whether it be an internal problem or something in that nature, Neji didn’t know. He didn’t know much about the sole survivor of the Uchiha clan, he didn’t even let his mind dwell on the fact that Sasuke intended on claiming his clan’s land back. 

Sasuke’s eyes spanned the horizon of the treetops momentarily, wondering how to phrase his thoughts for the man. “Does Lee still like Sakura?” The bowl-haired man still crossed his mind. Sasuke could still remember Sakura’s last authentic grin to Lee. It was his last favorable memory of her. 

“He’s grown out of it,” Neji crossed his arms and let his eyes settle on the balcony rail, “but he’s not what you wanted to talk about.” It was evident that Sasuke’s concern was on Sakura and not his own teammate. “You’re quite good at keeping a cool composure, if not for that, I wouldn’t even have known you were in conflict with yourself.”

“I’m not a book to be read,” Sasuke hissed back. 

“I can’t help it.”

Sasuke sighed and walked toward the rails. “I don't even know why I'm asking this from you.”

Neji’s eyes bored at Sasuke’s back, “you haven’t asked anything in particular yet.”

“Forget it.”

“I’m intrigued,” Neji responded. He too, walked to the balcony to press the issue further. “You wanted to talk about it, we’re going to talk about it.”

“I’m leaving,” Sasuke turned around, not wanting to address the issue anymore.

“Sakura has changed, Sasuke,” Neji stated.

Sasuke froze and could not move another step. He hadn’t even given an inkling to his conflict, but the prodigy seemed to have seen through him. He turned around irritably. On the issue of Sakura being a changed person, Sasuke knew that all too well. 

It was true that Neji didn’t know much about Sasuke, but working alongside the Uchiha had brought about information he hadn’t known. The younger man was somewhat cold and distant if looked on the outside, but internally, he was different. The inner “Sasuke” that no one should ever know, Neji knew. From the way the man would space out whilst on the job when the task was too dull, it was unlikely that it spacing out was something Sasuke would do. Or to the way any pink resemblance from nature would flutter by, Neji would almost always catch a glimpse of grimace on the Uchiha’s face, as it was intended for the medical kunoichi back at home. 

“If you think that everything will be the same, including her obsession for you, you’re wrong,” Neji advised. “You need to change yourself in order to catch up to her.”

“It’s pointless,” Sasuke murmured. He easily recalled how she rejected him, “she’s already refused my feelings. Before I could even recognize that I- somehow like her, she’s already rejected me.”

Neji turned to him with a blank expression, “But you haven’t tried to change, Uchiha Sasuke.” Sasuke turned his head, meeting the prodigy’s eyes. “You expect to walk through to the future as an unchanging person? You’ll only glower in disappointment as everyone passes you by.”

Sasuke looked away, unsure if he’d take in what the prodigy had to say. “I’ll do what I have to do toward the future.”

“You’ll compromise,” Neji corrected him, “Sakura is more determined to find her future. Whether you exist in her future depends wholly on you.”

Sasuke closed his eyes briefly and walked away from Neji. He knew he shouldn’t have brought up the question. He believed that perhaps trying to gain some sort of help from the prodigy would relieve the tangled feelings regarding Sakura. Yet in the end, he didn’t want it. It was clear that she was eating a void in his heart, and maybe the only way to combat this was to face it head-on. Seeing that Neji was someone more mature than him in every other aspect, Sasuke believed that it would help to seek advice. Yet the conclusion was the same, regardless if he did what Neji told him to do, at the end of the day, Sasuke didn’t want to burden her. 

He encountered the dilemma multiple times whenever he thought of her. He didn’t want to burden her for she was content in the place that she was. Sure, he was suffering on his own, but for her sake, he should stay as far away as possible for there was no possibility that she’d ever take back her rejection. Sasuke wished it was as easy as Neji said, to compromise with Sakura. 

Sasuke slammed his door closed and stood motionlessly with his back against the door.  _ I really don't deserve her, but I can’t help wanting _ .

.

.

All that Tenten and he had been doing was compromising. That was the only thing he could suggest to Sasuke. 

Returning to bed to sleep the night off, Neji couldn’t do it. When nights were cold and unbearable to pull through, it kept his mind off of her. The distractions, the snaking cold on his skin pushed the images of her from his thoughts. If it happened to snow, which wouldn’t occur here at the Summit, she’d be breathing in his space before he knew what to do with her. But tonight, despite the neverending winter season in his room, he couldn’t stop thinking about her. Neji shifted to his side. He opened his eyes to peer at the room being illuminated by the moon. It was ghostly gray, representative of the prickly nonexistent snow that piled in his room. He blew a puff of air, trying not to let his teeth chatter. Regardless, his lips shivered and his spine convulsed. Neji tried to gasp for air, feeling uneasy. He had never felt so hopeless ever since he came on this mission. 

Something wasn’t right; something wasn’t sitting right and it caused him to lie awake in the middle of the night. His fingers jaggedly collected onto his chest, trying to feel for any warmth. Neji found none in his body. He was afraid of an oncoming assault, a sort that he had never experienced before. Just with the thought of her, with her well-being being threatened, it scared him. 

Neji jerked up and clutched his panicked chest. Something was wrong and he didn’t know what to do or how to calm himself. He repeatedly gasped for air irregularly. His nails clawed for his heart. The only thing he felt was the bombardment of anxiety. Up until now, he had no doubts that she would be fine. She was safe in the village. She’d never stray from it. But for an unknown reason, he was deathly terrified for her and for himself. Neji wrapped the heatless blanket around himself, trying to assure himself of her safety. He tried to do everything in his power to shake the thought of her endangerment off, yet nothing worked. He buried his head onto his pillow, paced idiotically in his room, and even doused himself in freezing water to wake himself up.  _ I’m thinking too much, that is all. _ He repeated the sentence like a mantra. Even if that wasn’t the case, he continued to say it.

The feeling never subsided even when the sun rose up. He couldn’t sleep all night. Shikamaru scolded him for looking sluggish, telling him to stop overworking himself. Neji merely stared at the stale breakfast. His heart was at unrest even as Shikamaru spoke. He let the man’s voice flow out through the other ear. 


	46. Lunch at Ichiraku's

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naruto visits the Hyuuga compound to ask Hinata out for lunch. He then recalls how difficult it was the first time when he entered the clan's maze.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shifting back to Konoha whilst the convoy is still at the Kage Summit.

Naruto perched atop the Hokage roof as he looked over the village for the nth time. It had been two months since Kakashi and his convoy set off. He didn’t think it would be this long. He also didn’t think that it would be this boring to wait for something to happen. Naruto recalled the pictures of the five faces of the refugees that took refuge in his village. They hadn’t done anything nor hinted at anything. All that he knew was that he mustn’t alert any of his friends about them. The fact that the suspects communicated through manipulation of the wind currents meant that they hadn’t talked at all. Naruto squinted and surveyed the horizon of Konoha. There hadn’t been a breeze since the day the convoy left and that definitely meant that the suspects weren’t able to talk or it’s that they’ve completely controlled the air current that ran throughout all of Konoha.

“Hm, that can’t be right,” Naruto said to himself as he crossed his arms. The sun beat down on his skin and he shifted to the right to stay within the shade of one of the five pillars that protruded out of the Hokage building. Per Neji’s observation, their level of air manipulation never expanded as wide as a street length. And per all three of their intel, Neji, Shikamaru, and Sasuke, all five suspects lived close to one another. The one most suspicious of them all was the Aburame that Shino knew but didn’t know enough of. 

It could seriously be that he was infatuated with the Hyuuga woman but it could also mean something else. Naruto just didn’t know what that “something else” was. He wished he had someone to confide in, but doing so would make his spying all for naught. “It’s so boring doing nothing!” he yelled to the rest of the village. Of course, no one heard him. 

Naruto jumped down the building and headed for the Hyuuga compound. He was hungry and it was about to be lunchtime. 

The Hyuuga estate scared him, not because it was impeccably tall, but because of the many turns that needed to be taken to get there in the first place. The Hyuuga clan was allotted a large portion of land even though the clan was quite small. But considering their prestige, especially because of Neji’s deeds in the war, they’ve even more land to expand their maze of tall concrete walls. The Hyuuga compounds function like a secluded village. 

Every branch member was given a private house, with their private courtyard, and maybe a private garden if they were astounded human assets. And for head members, though it looked like they lived under one huge roof, (that huge head family estate building) it isn’t like so from the inside. The huge estate building was merely an entrance building, a giant welcoming gate with multiple rooms to greet visitors though very few outsiders visited. Walking past the building would reveal another concrete wall and this was where the maze got complicated. 

Naruto frequented the Hyuuga compounds and they welcomed him openly. Perhaps it was because he was a Hero of Konoha or maybe he was the heir’s daughter’s boyfriend. Either way, he liked both. Naruto walked past the building and he took in a deep breath. The first time he came here to fetch Hinata, he wanted to go straight to her and did not want to wait for a helper to go and fetch for her. He was stupid to think he’d be able to navigate through the compound. 

To his defense, No one but the Hyuuga people knew of the intricate pathways that existed in the Hyuuga compound. Naruto believed he’d be in there in a flash and come out with Hinata by his side but he was wrong. 

The first time he entered, he confidently bypassed the helper and took on the maze himself.  _ “They’re just walls,” _ he recalled saying. As he peaked the corner, he was met with another wall. And for the next twenty minutes, he spent his time running around the maze asking Hyuuga members who passed by him for directions to Hinata’s house. 

They told him he shouldn’t scale the walls because he’d be knocked down if a Hyuuga saw him. Naruto was told the Hyuuga valued their privacy as much as their eyes. 

On another occasion, he cheated by standing atop a very tall building to see the maze from above. The only problem was that the nearest tall building was too far to see the maze clearly. Naruto hated how calculated the Hyuuga were. He also disliked how their mazes weaved through the core of the village. He’d walk past a home and Hinata would point out that that was where her cousins lived. 

Naruto was lucky the first time he took on the maze because he was able to find an exit. And the only reason he knew it was an exit was because he saw a familiar gate: Neji’s gate. Naruto thanked Neji for living outside of the Hyuuga estate because now his house was a marker for the emergency exit of the Hyuuga compound. Naruto realized how he knew how to navigate through to Neji’s home far better than through to Hinata’s home.  _ “There’s a time for everything.” _ Naruto thought. The concrete walls that mazed around Neji’s home were difficult to memorize and he took it as a test to learn how to get to his woman’s home. 

And so, in that first attempt at finding Hinata’s home and exiting through Neji’s marked gate, Naruto ran back to the entrance of the Hyuuga estate and politely asked for the helper to fetch for Hinata. He recalled sweating and wiping them off with his sleeve after the tiresome twenty minutes of failed navigation. He didn’t think it’ll be this hard to meet his woman. Within five mere minutes, she came through the door. So much for spending twenty minutes wasting his time when he could have waited just five for her.

Naruto took another deep breath and placed his hands on his hips. This would be the seventh time he personally went to her home to fetch for her. He remembered the route now. “Let’s go!” Naruto chanted in his mind the turns he must take. “Turn right. Pass one, two, three gates. Turn left. Reach the end. Turn left. Turn right on the first gate. Right again… Where’s the uneven wall— yep! There it is!” He made a sharp turn to the left. The uneven wall had become an unmarked marker for him. “Another left. Third round gate and I’m here.” Standing before him was the heir’s gate. Where he stood was a long corridor-like wall. To his right was the exit where Neji’s home would be at. Naruto walked into the gate. “Hinata-chan!” 

“Hinata isn’t home!” Hanabi opened her door and stared out at him. 

“Where is she?” 

“Training at the dojo,” she replied. 

Naruto gulped. He forgot to mention that head family members had their own dojos sprawled conveniently throughout the compound. Hinata hadn’t shown him around enough for him to confidently strut into the dojo she was in. 

Hanabi raised a brow at him, “Do you need help getting there?”

Instinctively, he brought his index fingers together and poked them out of habit. “You see, Hinata-chan hadn’t really shown me around much.”

“I see,” Hanabi brushed his excuse away. She didn’t care if it was valid or not, he was intruding on her studies. “Take the engawa on the right. Round it to the back. Follow the bridged roof and go through the round gate. She’s in there.”

Naruto giggled and thanked her. He approached the engawa and took his shoes off. All that he wanted to do was eat lunch with her and perhaps doing all of this for her was worth basking in her time. 

He opened the dojo door and found Hinata in the midst of a spar but his presence halted the training session. Only a few people were there, just her, her training partner, and one helper. When he arrived, the man she sparred with retreated and collected the helper. Silently, they exited through the back door, leaving him with her. Hinata turned to him and gave him a smile. “Naruto-kun, what are you doing here?”

“Do you want to go eat with me?” he asked confidently. She nodded.

Ichiraku’s was shutting down. Naruto was told that they’d be relocating to another village once the shinobi ban becomes lifted. They wanted to spread their delicacies around and would be back in five years or so. Hearing that made Naruto’s mood dip but only ever so slightly. 

He slurped up the noodles before turning to Hinata. “Say, why is your compound full of mazes?”

Hinata chewed her noodles and swallowed before answering him. “It’s a defense system. No one is allowed to scale the walls unless it is in times of war. Doing so when it’s not under the circumstances is perceived as a threat. Why do you ask?”

He shrugged. “If I marry you, does that mean I’ll have to come live with you?”

“No,” Hinata chuckled. “If I were the heiress, then you would.”

“Hm,” he sounded, “I see.” Naruto smiled, “Neji would make a great heir. He’s destined for more than just being a branch member.” Becoming Hinata’s man had given him many things to learn about the Hyuuga clan. It wasn’t just about how the Hyuuga compound was laid out, she also shared specks of their politics too. 

“The walls are also there to remind everyone the uses of the byakugan too,” she added.

Naruto glanced at her in confusion, “What do you mean by that?”

Hinata lifted the bowl up to her lips and downed the broth. She always finished first. It wasn’t because she wanted to show off. She’d always been told to finish her meals quickly. The world didn’t wait for her to take her time eating. Frankly, she’d been conditioned to eat in a timely manner. “The byakugan can see through anything. Walls are there at every corner to remind members to never abuse their powers for their own gains.” 

“Huh?” Naruto squinted. “I’ve no idea what you mean.” He placed a half a hardboiled egg into his mouth and chewed as he waited for an explanation.

“You know that all men are the same right?” she glanced to him. Her cheeks bore red cherries. “There are cases where both Hyuuga men and women use their powers to gape at other people’s intimacies.”

Naruto choked and he choked hard. He downed the cup of ice cold water and stared at her. He didn’t think the refined Hyuuga clan would ever have anyone being perverted peekers. Judging from Neji’s manner, he believed all Hyuuga men were like him. Could Neji be a pervert?  _ “No. he can’t be. He’s not that kind of person.” _ Hinata habitually scratched the back of her ear. “You guys don’t take precaution for these things?” he asked her.

“Oh, we do!” Hinata bellowed. “Poise and dignity, stature and honor, are what we uphold to prestige, Naruto-kun. Diverging from this is almost like begging for humiliation.”

“What do you do with the perverts?”

She was taken again at his bluntness. “W-we completely disable their byakugan.”

Naruto’s eyes widen, “You can do that?” She nodded. “Like the curse mark that Neji used to have?”

“No,” she corrected. “The curse mark embeds a thread of chakra pointers only the head clan members can use. But for those who abuse their gifts with indecency, we completely block their orbital tenketsu by applying an insurmountable of our own chakra to rip out the pathways that supply the eyes with chakra.”

Naruto was stunned. He wondered if she knew how to use it too. Sure having her use it on him would be useless because his eyes had no specialty. He’d love to learn it if he could just to mess around with Sasuke. “Say, Hinata-chan, if you don’t mind, can we go on a date today?”

She looked at him in confusion. “This isn’t part of our date?” 

“It is,” he replied, “I just want to extend it.”

“Oh.” 

“Do you have a movie you want to watch?”

Hinata simpered and looked to her empty bowl, “I do.”


	47. Impending Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An imposter disguises himself as Lee. Tenten lets him enter her home.

Tenten shook her leg in irritation. It had been spazzing all day for no apparent reason. She hadn’t pulled a muscle nor a ligament. She supposed it was the weird cough she caught because of Lee. Tenten had never seen anyone get sick in the Summer and she couldn’t believe she’d be the one to experience it. If only Lee hadn’t been cooling himself with the public fountain water and sparring with her afterward, she’d be sick-free. 

From afar, she spotted Naruto and Hinata entering the local theatre. She’d be happy for them if she was in a better mood. Now that training was over, she headed to the bathhouse to relax for a couple of hours. She felt as if she needed it. Her muscles were sore and no amount of home remedies were helping. 

The hot spring was almost like a muscle relaxer even though she still felt the spazzes on her leg. Tenten looked around, realizing now the lack of customers at this bathhouse. It probably would’ve been better to take a cold bath at home, but she craved warmth. She wondered if it was due to the shinobi ban or if she simply came on a good day. Nonetheless, she took in the silence and comfort for herself. Being alone here was different from being alone at home. Home was a place to return to. At times there was nothing to return to but an unmade bed. Sometimes it’ll be an empty fridge or the aftermath of a horrible breakdown. 

Tenten had many of those breakdowns. She’d cause a ruckus late into the night even when she wasn’t intoxicated alcohol-wise. It was because of him that she’d break down more often than before. She’d be swimming in a red wine filled with memories of him but only the sweetest of them all. She wouldn’t eat, for she had no appetite. Tenten hoped he didn’t notice that she’d gotten thinner. 

She’d replay the feelings of his kisses or how he softly handled her. And then her mind would transcend to the slight brushes of their hands when they haven’t confessed. All the little things they did, she’d think of it. And then she would get mad and curse to the heavens silently. She knew that thinking about him at any point in time would make her angry because she’d have to hold herself back. Truthfully, Tenten was tired of holding back. It was so difficult to will herself to not reach for his hand and tell him there were no implications of her love because she’d lie if she said so. Every passing moment where she was alone, it was like sitting under the shade of a tree as the sun rode over her head. And out of the field, she’d look to a very green prairie as a slight breeze made the grass dance. The only problem was that she was the only one unmoving. She was unwilling to accept her resolve for the both of them.

She may have proposed that they embark on this long journey to separate themselves just enough so that the heavens wouldn’t strike them dead, but she hated the proposal. Tenten came to the conclusion for him. She came to it the moment his grandfather told her to let him go. He told her to let Neji go because she was holding him back. His grandfather was right and this was the only compromise to them. So that he’ll be able to walk forward toward his dream, to be stronger and to change his clan, she gave him this resolve. And so that she’ll keep her promise to him, to stand beside him when he reached that dream, she made herself suffer by telling him she’d be there to watch him from afar. Tenten sighed and groaned at her stupidity. If she was raised better, she wouldn’t have made the decision for them. 

Tenten knew loving Neji would hurt. It was one of the reasons why she hid it from him. He was a desirable man of his stature. There was no doubt that Hyuuga men had a regal beauty to them that no other clan would compare. She didn’t think she’d fall in love with one of them. Someone who sprouted from the dirtiest and most undesirable places of Konoha didn’t dare to hold a pure gem from the heavens. Truly, he was from the heavens. She just didn’t think she’d be a part of his life as well to share the exact same fate as he did.  _ “A flower flew to my hands.” _ how could she care for this blossom that came from above?

He was the most gentle of all people she knew. His words were blunt, but everything else suggested otherwise. Everyone wanted to be loved with genuity and it applied to him too. Tenten just didn’t think it would be her whom he allowed to have her give him her love. He had undone her love for him and he had undone his love for her. They’ve barely cut the bindings of their love but it had to halt.  _ “And pursue us, which only began to be undone.”  _ when he returned, their vie for peace would soon begin. Eventually, she’ll be able to place her hand on his’ and call it love. No more secrets, no more longing gazes, it’ll only be them. 

She was wrong about the length from which he was to leave her for the mission. Tenten didn’t know why she set a limit for him knowing it would very well extend to the next season. Doing so only made her more exhausted in waiting for him to return. Tenten blew a sigh and exited the mineral bath. It was time for her to leave home before the bathhouse closed. Yes, the bathhouse now had a curfew. If it weren’t for the dwindling customers, it would’ve stayed open all night and she would’ve been malingering in her pesky emotions.  

Tenten didn’t really remember how she left her home this morning. She barely recalled if she needed to stock up on food or not. She dried herself whilst in thought. She hoped she hadn’t trashed her home after another night of pent up frustration over him.  

When Tenten approached her home, Lee was there waiting for her. This was an odd sight because he’d usually be beside Gai-sensei right now. “Lee, what are you doing here?”

“I’ve been waiting for you for so long!” he ran up to her and pulled her to her door. “Gai-sensei told me to check up on you and so I’m here to check on your well-being!”

It made sense to her. She shrugged him off and pushed her key into the keyhole. She turned it and shook the spazzing out of rhythm on her leg. “Thank goodness,” she relieved. She didn’t trash the place as she had thought, “Go inside, Lee.”

Lee ecstatically entered and plopped on her bed. Tenten turned around and closed the door. Her hand was still on the doorknob when she witnessed Lee messing up her already disheveled beddings. She locked the door. “Well, why not just make yourself comfortable while I make something to eat?”

“Sure thing!” Lee told her as he sat up and looked around the room. “You really should have more than just weapons on your wall, Tenten.”

Tenten opened her fridge and facepalmed. She had nothing but cold noodles and curry. “Do you care for chili pepper curry?”

Lee turned to look at her as he already roamed around admiring her weapons, “Spicy curry?”

“Yeah.”

“Yosh!”

Tenten leaned into the fridge and pulled out the cold noodles and curry. “I have a spare egg!” she told him. Tenten retrieved the icy kunai from the back of the fridge and speedily cast it toward the imposter. It slashed the imposter’s cheek as he jumped up to the ceiling to avoid it. The imposter laughed, his voice slowly turned from her friend’s voice to that of a lower tone. He then transformed into his true self. 

“How did you know?”

Tenten’s eyes observed his every move. “Lee can’t hang upside-down, that’s a first.” She smirked, “He hates it when I don’t make my bed. He hates my cooking, and he can’t eat spicy food.” Tenten glared at him, “I’d praise for almost deceiving me but you didn’t even try.”

The imposter revealed himself to be the Aburame suspect on Naruto’s watch. “I don’t want to play any games, little girl. Where are they.”

She squinted, “What are you talking about?”

“The tools of the Sage of the Six Paths, little girl!”

Tenten’s eye twitched. How could he know that she had them with her? “Why would I tell you that?” Her hand reached for the closest weapon: an umbrella by the door. 

The man laughed at her. “Looks like before we even fight, you’re out of options.”

“Why do you want the weapons?” she asked him. 

Seeing her vulnerability, he decided to stall her life. How could an umbrella harm him? “The owner isn’t happy about three-fifths of his tools being separated from him you know. Much like your lack of arsenal, the owner lacks the rest of the three weapons.”

“You’ll never be able to find them, even if you kill me,” she stated. “Only I know where the weapons are.”

“It’s ‘tools’ for you, little girl!”

The man launched at her. Tenten yanked the umbrella open. It completely shot up. Each metal wires began to bend and elongate like hair. It robotically stretched and engulfed the man’s body. The man released the pent up air in the room that he’d sucked up the moment he entered her home. He was hoping to use it to suffocate her but that wasn’t an option now. 

The air blew her hair-like metal wires back to her. Tenten immediately stood on her kitchen wall and shook the umbrella once, straightening it back out. She flung to him but he dodged. She retrieved the kunai she threw earlier from the opposite wall and held it. It looked to her as though her opponent was a long-range attacker but with the limitations of her room, he’d have no choice but to fight her closely. 

Tenten came at him again with the speed equivalent to that of Lee’s most basic. She shouldn’t fear him. She knew she’d be able to win without her barrage of arsenals. 

Their fight was almost undesirable. He’d parried her kunai out the window and attempted to use her weapons on the walls without efficiency. And when he realized how heavy the piece was, he dropped it. Using weapons wasn’t his specialty, but the air was. He busted her door open to let new air current flow in. Tenten used the umbrella once more and yanked him back inside when the hair-like metal wrapped around his ankle. She believed he was going to run away. It looked like he wasn’t even strong enough to break her walls to escape. She hurried to him and pressed the tip of the umbrella down onto his chest. 

“Who sent you?!” she demanded an answer from him.

The man merely smirked. With new air, he sucked it through his palm and blew her off her feet, literally. Tenten was flung onto her window, smashing it and then some. The attack made her hit her wall too, causing a large crack that made the reinforcement crumble from the outside. She grunted and fell to the ground. Tenten winced at the pain. It did not hurt, but her leg was out of control. Her umbrella shattered into three pieces and she could no longer use it anymore. The man made another attempt for the door but she catapulted herself toward him, pulling him into a chokehold from behind and dragging him back into her home. Their fight must stay secluded in case he put others at risk. 

He pulled out a different version of a kunai and jabbed it to her side. However, Tenten wouldn’t let him go until she could reach for a weapon hanging on her wall. The man struggled out of her hold, not believing that the stab didn’t faze her one bit. Tenten grabbed a halberd. She swung at him, slicing his arm greatly. His blood pooled to her floor. Tenten held her breath as her adrenaline kicked in. She no longer felt the pain on the side of her stomach but it would become apparent soon. She snapped the halberd in half just so it would be easier in her tiny studio home. 

The man threw his kunai at her but she merely deflected it. She should have gone for his left arm. Tenten charged at him but was blown away once more. With the window and door agape, new air entered his vicinity. He quickly used it to his advantage and thwarted her toward the same wall she once hit. The blast this time demolished her wall, inside and out. Tenten groaned as she landed on her feet. Easily, the man was already beside her. His hand pressed around her neck. “How dare you make me bleed.” she heard him say. Tenten’s knees went weak and she dropped her halberd. 

She stared at the man’s cunning eyes as the pain in her midriff began to grow. The spazzing on her leg began again. Why was it that all she would focus on what her trembling leg and not the fact that she was getting her life choked out of her? Tenten’s hands shook up. The man’s air blasts had knocked her equilibrium out. Having him change the air pressure so easily made her head hurt and spin. She couldn’t even escape it. 

She grasped his forearm with one hand, realizing he was using his right arm. Her other arm reached for what the man thought was a roll of tape on her dresser. “Ha! You’re going to beat me with that?” Disregarding his degrading, Tenten’s eyes fluttered as she was losing consciousness. She unraveled her bracelet scroll and put forth what little of chakra she had left that she could control into it. She had stocked up only a few of her weapons into the scroll and the attack wouldn’t even be dire, but she needed to break free from his grasp.

Tenten let the scroll ribbon itself around his arm and around his body. Before the man knew it, she mouthed a word. Senbons pierced his body and he immediately released his grasp on her. Tenten gasped for air as she choked. She crouched on the ground and heaved, trying to get as much oxygen back to her brain to balance normally. It wasn’t working. Her body was going limp despite her attempts to bringing much-needed air into her body. 

The man yelled in pain. The senbons were protruding from his body from both the entrance and exit points. He painfully pulled three senbons from his left arm and stomped toward her. Tenten barely got to her feet as she collected the senbon he threw onto the ground. She got to her stance only to be kicked back and hit her table. Tenten shouldn’t feel exhausted but it felt as if her body didn’t want to fight anymore. This was unlikely of her at all. She dropped the senbon. 

She fell onto the ground and the man still came to her. She kicked the legs of her table, causing him to teeter. Tenten hurried up to her feet with all of her might. Now her whole body was spazzing. Her muscles refused to coordinate. The man quickly pushed the table toward her, cornering her to the wall. Tenten didn’t even have the strength to stand. “Feeling tired?” the man asked her. He leaned in close to her and grabbed her hair, forcing her to look at him. “It’s not your fault, little girl. My air blasts are tainted with impure minerals. I’m sorry, but you’ll just have to watch your body go limp.”

Tenten purposefully spat at him. She didn’t think it would be blood but that was what it was. It angered him. The man started to smash her head against the wall fervently and violently. She desperately tried to find the dagger she hid under the table before she succumbed to death. If she lost now, he’d be after someone else. “I didn’t want to kill you, you know,” the man told her. “It’ll be better if I take you as a hostage to get those tools-”

The man looked down and realized she’s stabbed a dagger straight into his heart. His eyes widen and it shot red. The man screamed and he threw her to the ground. Tenten was able to pull the dagger out, making him bleed even more. His blood spilled all over her. The man pressed a hand at his chest wound and began to stomp on her wherever he could land his unbalanced sloppy feet on. He struck her head multiple times, but she couldn’t even feel it. 

All that she knew was that she was bleeding from her head, she just didn’t know where. She gasped for air but choked on her blood instead. Her wounds would be hurting right now, but for some reason, she felt nothing. Suddenly it hit her, she was going to die here. 

He swiped the dagger from her hand and stood atop her after he was satisfied with kicking her. Tenten watched as he held the dagger to her own chest. He was going to strike her the way she did. 

Out of options, she raised a hand up as the last attempt to shield herself. Of course, that gesture was a cry for mercy, but she knew he wouldn’t care. She didn’t care for it anyways. The man sat on her waist and raised the dagger up his head with both hands. He dove it down, expecting for the kill. “You persistent bitch!” he yelled, “die!”

Tenten quickly moved her raised hand toward the man’s projection, letting him pierce through her hand and directing its path to a place less critical than her heart. She’s didn’t have enough strength to hold him back and she let the gravity of his downward motion, along with her last attempt to alter his path, allowed him to drive her own dagger down the right quadrant of her chest. She gasped shortly thereafter, feeling the new sensation of the pain erupt. This was what pain was like, physical pain. Death. Her eyes widen at the excruciating pain. She’d never been pushed this far.

The man was bewildered when he realized the extent she’d go to beat him. He coughed up blood, releasing his grasp on the dagger. 

Tenten held back her urge to vomit blood. She quickly used her other hand to pull the dagger from her chest and hand and hastily sliced his neck. All of those precious time spent on sharpening this dagger, it was all worth it. She managed to cut his neck deeply, revealing his spine. His blood sprayed onto her body and he laid limp, toppling to the side. 

Tenten finally allowed her vomit to come. She squirmed out of his legs that strapped her and turned over to release the blood from her throat. Tenten coughed and it became harder to breathe. Her body trembled excessively as she slowly crawled for the door. There was no way she’d reach help but she needed to try. 

She couldn’t do it. Tenten was so close to the door. But every movement she made came jaggedly. The man said she’d go limp and she suspected this was it. Tenten was deathly afraid. She did not want to die. Perhaps this was her punishment for messing with the thread of their fate. 

All that she could think of was him, Neji.  _ “Also, stay alive for me,” _ his last words rang in her mind. Something so simple, yet she couldn’t do. “Sew up my love for you,” she murmured. Her lips moved, yet nothing audible came out. “We will undo this undying love in the next life.” Tenten’s eyes lowered as she looked at the gaping door. She only wanted him to walk through that door and comfort her. “I just want to see you.”

Craving love, craving him and everything he had to offer was her last yearning. Tenten eagerly fought her tired eyes to see if he’d appear. But with seconds turning to minutes, her heart grew tired of waiting. Tears escaped her eyes, trailing over the bridge of her nose, drawing a clear path of salty teardrops. She finally relinquished the selfishness of her life into the darkness. The hope she clung onto, the hope that he’ll walk through that door, it remained within her. Tenten couldn’t keep her eyes open anymore. She wanted him to come and for a mere second, she thought she saw him. The beautiful him in his white kimono, she remembered him only in that way. It was not him who wore the shinobi vest and left the village some two months ago. It was the seventeen-year-old Hyuuga who bloomed so elegantly in the palm of her hands. 


	48. Discovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ino discovers Tenten's body. She and Sakura try to do what they can to save her.  
> Hanabi returns back home after seeing the commotion around Tenten's place. She tells Hinata to go with her to the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit messy and jumps around a lot between characters, please forgive me.

Ino walked to the flower shop at the break of dawn. Everything was normal as it seemed until the sun began to rise and commoners began to open their shops as well. She pulled the flower stand out just as the street began to populate into another busy day. Ino wondered if Sai would come today for lunch. They’ve been calling it a date, but she didn’t really see it that way. 

Just as she brought out the first pot of orange gerbera to put on the stand, Ino heard a piercing cry. Her head snapped toward the road ahead of her. Ino ran toward the woman’s scream. Her eyes scanned for where she was and found her at the rails of Tenten’s place. Ino’s eyes widen and her heart dropped. Something bad definitely happened. There was a gaping hole in Tenten’s apartment. A single kunai was below on the ground. She jumped up to Tenten's rails, the third floor where the frantic woman was. 

“What is wrong ma'am?” Ino asked.

The woman trembled and pointed toward the agape door of her friend’s. “This morning, I spotted glass shards below in front of my shop and I looked up to find the window above being shattered.” Ino carefully escorted her past Tenten’s door, shielding the woman’s jittery eyes from looking through the crack. “I wanted to check if everything was okay, but— but!” 

“Please return to your shop, ma’am,” Ino insisted. “I’ll handle it from here.”

Ino watched as the woman shakily descended the stairs. Behind her was Tenten’s door. Her heart dropped and she felt sick. The smell of blood permeated through her friend’s door. Ino turned around and balled her fists. “Please, don’t let it be what I dread,” she inched closer to the door and swung it wide open. Ino wanted to die the moment her eyes landed upon her friend’s unmoving figure. “Tenten,” she choked. Tears readily welled up to her eyes as she dashed toward Tenten’s almost lifeless body. 

The way her body, her arm, her eyes, and her head reached for the door, Ino couldn’t help but cry. She laid Tenten on her back and tried to feel a pulse, knowing how futile it was. “Please. Please let there be a heartbeat, any beat.” She couldn’t feel anything. “You can’t die here,” Ino pleaded. She begged the body to produce a sound. “Tenten, I beg you,” Ino choked out her cries. 

All the promises she’s heard the woman make, all the hardships she took to get this far, Ino didn’t want her to die in vain. Suddenly, Ino felt a faint pulse. She wasted no time and carried her friend straight to the hospital. 

Ino busted through the emergency doors, “Where is Sakura?!” she yelled at the top of her lungs. A nurse directed Ino to the nearest gurney. Ino immediately took off her cardigan and focused on mending her chakra to heal the wounds on Tenten’s body. 

“Haruno-san’s shift hasn’t started-”

“Get her here right now!” 

“What’s with all the shouting?” Sakura walked through the doors and spotted Ino frantically in concentration. “Ino?”

“Get over here!”

Sakura hurried over, realizing how bloodied Tenten was. “Oh god.” Every inch of her muscles ached to move. “What happened?” She immediately focused on her chakra control and place her hand on the side gash. 

“I don’t know,” Ino seethed. “There’s a man decapitated in her home. Please have anyone send reinforcements to contain her home.”

Sakura glanced at Ino’s tearful eyes. She must have been scared and Sakura was too. However, she couldn’t think about the messy thoughts in her head right now. They both must save her. “Shiso, go get Naruto.”

The security at the door immediately exited the emergency doors. 

Tenten lost a whole lot of blood, explaining for the lack of pulse. Sakura looked at Ino as the woman sat down on the ground in exhaustion. Both of their work was sloppy but after five gruesome hours pouring their chakra into their friend’s body, they realized that she may never wake up ever again. Their bloodied hands were more than tainted. Tenten’s ripe red blood ran all the way up to their elbows. It stained their clothes and the gurney from which she laid. It was as if they’ve just returned from a gruesome war. In this case, it was a war they’ve won, but barely.

The sound of Tenten’s heartbeat through the monitor echoed lonelily in the room. She may be alive and breathing now, but she’d never wake up. “Let’s clean ourselves before we change her attire, Ino,” Sakura whispered to her. Their hearts grew heavy with every beeping noise the monitor made. Ino got up and exited the room. Sakura followed after begrudgingly. 

Her blood trailed down Sakura’s skin like a dyed waterfall. Sakura glanced over at Ino who stood motionlessly under the showerhead as hot steamy water poured over them. She returned her gaze back to her own hands. There was nothing more they could do. Sakura blinked, finally letting tears stream down her face. She didn’t want to think of all the times she’s seen Tenten’s grinning face when she was with them, particularly when she was around the Hyuuga prodigy. The fact that the kunoichi fought so hard to play a charade just so they could live, and only to be in this state, Sakura deemed once more that the world was unfair. It was cruel to those whose only sins were love. 

If she tried this hard for them, to give them the happiness they deserved, only to find out that she couldn’t even save them, then, what was the point in vying for peace? Sakura punched the tiled bathroom walls and refused to give up. She did not want to give up. “There has to be away, there is always a way.” 

Ino heard Sakura’s commotion, “Her body is stricken with a foreign mineral we cannot extract no matter how hard we try, Sakura.” She buried her face into her hands and tried to muffle her weeps, “The coma is the only thing keeping her from feeling the pain eating at her body.”

Sakura turned to her, “We’ve got to try everything, Ino. For her sake.”

Ino turned to her with newfound determination. “I’ll look to see if my father’s databook have anything to help.”

“Okay.”

.

.

Naruto said that he’d come today to take her fishing in the morning, but he hadn’t come. It was the afternoon now but he was nowhere near her vicinity. Hinata glanced to the hot sun. Day by day, it was getting warmer. She walked around her engawa, sipping on iced water as she waited for him to come. Should she go to him? Hinata turned around only to be met with her father. 

“Father,” his presence stunned her.

“Waiting for the Uzumaki?” he asked. She shyly nodded. Hiashi’s cold expression remained unchanged. “If you want to see him, you mustn’t wait.” They both looked out to the gate as the sound of frantic footsteps headed their way. Entering the compound was Hanabi. She was out of breath. “What is the problem, Hanabi?”

Hanabi’s frightened eyes alerted both of them. “Neji nii-san’s— Tenten-san is in trouble!” 

Tokuma accompanied her that morning to deliver a message to one of their cousins outside the Hyuuga estate per Hiashi’s request. Hanabi remembered it clearly: Hinata’s friends were all around Tenten’s home for an unknown reason. And then she found the reason why. Out came a black body bag. Naruto pointed to the hospital and Hanabi didn’t need to know any further than that. 

“Hinata, you must come-”

Hiashi was taken aback when his daughter mentioned his nephew’s beloved woman. If she was in critical condition, he wouldn’t know how to apologize to Neji for not taking care of Tenten. “I’m going too.”

Hinata turned to her father and nodded. She didn’t need him to explain his reasoning why.

.

.

The lifeless body of his nephew’s beloved laid quietly on the gurney. The curtains were drawn fully, letting the sun shine through to the dark aura that hung over the room. She was the only patient in the room and they were the only visitors there. His eldest daughter wobbled up to sit next to the motionless body. The child’s hand was bandaged. He could see through the unkempt hospital gown that even her chest was bound. Her cranium was bound and an oxygen mask cupped her face. Hiashi didn’t want to know the details of her injuries because he feared it would hurt him more. 

To see the child that his nephew so dearly love in this state worried him. Hiashi stepped out of the room. The child’s faint heartbeat tug at his long lost heartstrings. 

That was the thing that all Hyuuga men were weak for. Their bonds with whomever they cherished were stronger than their will to live. Love was the poison that plagued them all. It was why his nephew was taught not to feel anything but hatred. Love made his nephew crazy and it once made him crazy too. 

Hiashi closed the door and walked home alone. He didn’t think that anything would fall upon Tenten. He didn’t think that anyone would want to harm one single person.

Hinata held Tenten’s wounded hand tenderly. Before she knew it, was already shedding tears. “You must wake up,” she whispered to the unconscious woman, “my brother will be home soon.” Hinata stared at the unresponsive face. She wanted her to nod or show her that she heard but there was nothing that came after that. 

She buried her face onto the linen to muffle her cries. Tenten didn’t deserve to be in this state. She didn’t need to suffer anymore. Hinata didn’t want Neji to return to a lifeless body. He’s suffered enough. She didn’t want their fate to become true. It wasn’t Tenten’s time to go but Hinata didn’t even know what to do to save her.

.

.

“Everyone visited you, you know,” Sakura told Tenten. She looked at Tenten’s frozen eyelids. The monitor continued to beat its rhythm. “Two weeks had passed since you came here. Lee kept bringing sweet sesame dumplings here, saying it’ll stimulate your senses.” Sakura clenched her heart and held back a whimper.  _ “But you never moved. You never did anything, Tenten.” _ Her eyes teared,  _ “What am I supposed to tell him when he returns?” _

Ino quietly opened the door and called for Sakura. “Sakura,” she entered and closed the door with two large books on hand. Sakura tenderly stroke Tenten’s combed hair behind her ear and got up to meet Ino halfway. “I think I’ve found the way to save her.”

Sakura sniffed, “What is it?”

Ino flipped through Nara’s old tattered leather book. “Here, the Fugakawa’s ancient deer antler mixed with dried a vigorous herb and ten other special roots.” She handed Sakura the other book containing tabs on the roots. “I’ll have to convince the Nara clan to get the deer antler since Shikamaru isn’t here. I’m afraid it’ll take long.”

“Don’t worry, Ino,” Sakura reassured her, “you’ve done all the work.” She patted the blonde’s pack, “We’ll save her together.”


	49. Unordinary Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The convoy returns. Sakura and Naruto hurry to debrief the returning shinobi and Hokage about Tenten's incident. It prompts Neji to visit Tenten.  
> Neji then has a peculiar dream.

Tenten couldn’t describe what heaven was like. She wasn’t sure if this place was heaven or not. She was just in her home, in her village, and everything was just— normal. She couldn’t describe the feeling except that in its simplicity, she was in abliss and she was waiting for him to come to her.  

The image of his feet shuffling to her in his white kimono, his shinobi uniform that she always touched incessantly, appeared before her. Tenten recalled lying on the floor when she first reached this heaven-like place. She was lying on her floor, reaching for the door, wanting him to appear before her and hold her into and dark. 

And he actually came. Neji actually came. Through the gaping door, he came to her wearing the uniform when he was seventeen. And when he kneeled to her, she finally saw his face. He could only smile to her. “I’m sorry for leaving you, for breaking our promises.” She heard his voice tell her. Her eyes keened in on his soft skin. She looked for the nuances on his face. She searched for the little flaws only she knew. They were all there. This was him. He finally came to her.

Soon, that beautiful white kimono of his’ turned to the shinobi vest she didn’t want to see. Stained permanently onto his clothes were his blood and the gaping holes in his chest. And carved into her mind, she remembered clearly what this meant. 

Beside her, he claimed her, raising her up. Tenten’s eyes glistened as she met his pristine face. This was the person from the war, the person who had died in the war. Her tears fell and she held his arms as he had done to her. “I’m sorry for making you wait so long,” she replied to him. 

This “Neji” she tangibly touched came to her. It only made sense that she died too. “I’d wait for you even if it is an eternity,” his indistinguishable voice called to her. Tenten didn’t know why but she pulled him into an embrace, an everlasting embrace to secure what they had. “Let’s go Tenten,” Neji softly replied to her. “Into the next life, we’ll continue on to the day when I can finally call you mine, not in this world, this spirit world, but the  real world.” 

“Let’s go,” she hugged him tightly. Bloodied in their clothes and their wounds, Tenten held his hand and stood up with him. She looked back to her mortal body lying in a pool of blood. Tenten held onto Neji’s hands tightly. She’d never think of letting him go ever again. With their fingers interlaced, she closely followed him. This was the person she fell in love with. She’d go with him wherever he wanted to go. This was the same person that undid her love. She’d never be able to love anyone else but him. The moment they both stepped out of the place she used to call home, she began to glow and he began to glow. She met his beautiful eyes for the last time. “Until the next time we meet, please realize it before it’s too late. That is, my love for you Neji.”

Neji leaned down to her and gave her a chaste kiss. “I won’t forget you, you and I.” He smiled and captured her lips once more. She closed her eyes and accepted his kiss. 

Tenten’s eyes fluttered open. She was on the ground again, lying there, waiting for him to walk through that door.  _ “Ah, I’m in limbo.”  _ she mouthed. For an unknown reason, her tears began to fall. She waited for a long time for him to come and raise her up. Why did it take so long?

And when he did, he came as the seventeen-year-old boy she fell in love with. But the closer he came, the more he changed. Gone were his kimono. When he knelt to claim her and sit her up, Tenten realized he came as the fourteen-year-old “Neji” who died on the mission to retrieve Sasuke. She barely recalled how he looked back then with his right arm and leg bound with bandage. He stared at her condescendingly. “Get up.”

Tenten held his arms as he had done to her. She realized her frame was definitely smaller now. Tenten looked down to her clothes, spotting the pink sleeveless cheongsam shirt she used to own. It was bloodied but not in the same way it was before. She glanced up to him, unsure of what it meant. And just like that, the place where she died changed from her home to an almost unrecognizable field. Tenten remembered this place. She remembered almost dying in this place. But because Neji was here and because he came for her, she must have truly died here instead. “We were only fourteen,” she whispered. They were too young to die. 

“The heavens told me I must wait for you, why did you take so long to cross over?” Neji asked her. 

Tenten didn’t know why. “I’m sorry, Neji. I didn't know you were waiting for me.” 

He hurriedly took her hand into his’ and hoisted her up, “Now that you’re finally here. We can walk into the next life.” 

She observed his demeanor. This was the demeanor of the fourteen-year-old “Neji” who hadn’t loved her yet. But at this moment, nothing felt better than to know that even if he didn’t know why he had to wait for her, he still did. Tenten stood up and looked behind her lifeless body. “So this was how I would’ve died,” she murmured. A large gash cut deeply through the side of her neck. 

The memories of this mission flooded her mind. This was the mission that scarred her cheeks and left her picking on the scab on endless nights.  _ “If I hadn’t dodged the trap, I’d actually be beheaded,” _ Tenten recalled telling Lee of the horrid mission to stock on weapons. They were sitting under the shade of the tree by the dango shop. The bench was where they always rested after a spar. “So this was how I could’ve died.” Tenten’s eyes stayed on her little body. Of all those things she thought about on her last breaths, it was always about him. 

Tenten turned back around and watched as the stoic and moody boy she loved pulled her out of her body. And when he had done so, they glowed brightly. Tenten halted, tugging at his grasp until he turned around. This boy hadn’t known she loved him. “Neji, just one moment please.” 

He raised a brow at her. “What is it?”

Without warning, she embraced him tightly. She’d never let him go again. “I’ll give you hope. Into the next life, I hope we’ll change our stubbornness and come together soon.” 

“What are you talking about?” Neji’s ears redden at the sudden intimacy. 

“I want you to know that I love you,” she drew him back and looking into his uncanny eyes. “So please don’t hold back in the next life.” They were too secretive in this life. Tenten leaned in and gave him a chaste peck on his lips to seal their love. And when she pulled back, he couldn’t say anything. 

A simper aroused on his lips and he turned away. Their time here was up and she felt his hand grab for her’s. This time, he held it more genuinely and with more determination.

Tenten understood it now. She was merely dreaming of what could have happened to her and him. The alternative lives they could have lived and died, it all walked on the same path. Neji and her, they’d never be together in this life. It was apparent how relentless their fate was. Tenten was done dreaming the same dream. She was done being pulled from her body and seizing her life with his’. Neji wasn’t dead, he hadn’t come to her as himself, as the eighteen-year-old who left on the Kage Summit Mission. She knew it meant he wasn’t dead and that meant that she needed to break from these dreams.

.

.

“Why is she having a seizure?” Sakura hurried over and tried to move away any object that would harm the kunoichi. 

Ino appeared on the other side and cleared out the table beside the hospital bed, “This is the second time it’s ever happened.”

“Does this mean that your method is working?” 

“I don’t know,” Ino replied. “She’s not supposed to have any seizure at all.”

Sakura cleared the wires and they both stepped back. “The toxin in her body had been flushed away last week already. Why won’t she wake up?”

“You said her coma isn’t due to the head trauma right?”

“Right.”

Ino pondered for a while. She pulled the clipboard of Tenten’s history, “Everything seems normal though.”

“That’s what I’m saying.” Sakura sighed through her nostrils. “What would Neji think when he returns to her in her vegetable state?”

“Oh god,” Ino counted her fingers and she glanced up to Sakura, “The third month is over. The convoy would be returning home anytime now.”

Sakura choked on her spit, “Are you serious?!” Just then, they heard a knock by the window. They both turned to the window and saw Kiba on the other side. Sakura ran to the window and opened it. “Don’t tell me-”

“They’re back.”

Ino sighed and rubbed her temple. “What are we going to do?”

Kiba looked back out to the village gates from far away, “Naruto is already awaiting them by the gates. I’m sure either of you is better than him at explaining the situation.”

“We should hurry then,” Sakura insisted. She hopped out of the window and Ino stayed behind. Tenten hadn’t stopped seizing. 

“I’ll stay behind to watch her.” Sakura glanced to her and nodded with a reassuring smile. 

When Sakura approached the village entrance, she saw that Hinata was there. Actually, every capable villager was there to celebrate the beginning of a new era. The convoy only began to make its way through the gates she spotted the man of her target. She hurried and squeezed through the sidelines. “Neji-san!” she called to him.

Neji turned around to find the source of his name and so did Sasuke and Shikamaru. She waved to him but he did not heed her gesture. 

Sasuke’s eyes widen the moment he saw Sakura calling the prodigy’s name. A tinge of jealousy escaped his breath as he turned back around. 

“Oi! Neji!” Neji turned around again, spotting the orange shinobi being stomped down by Sakura. Something definitely wasn’t right. He looked forward, wondering why Naruto’s voice had a panicky tone from within. 

“The mission isn’t over until we reach the Hokage’s office,” Shikamaru dragged on, “what on Earth are they doing?” Neji kept his head leveled and paid them no more attention. 

Kakashi crashed onto the Hokage’s chair and sighed with dread. He was drained from the journey but the stacks of paper on his desk cried to be reviewed. “The mission is adjourned,” he cried. “You fellas can come in now,” he directed his words to the people outside the Hokage’s office door. 

“What a drag,” Shikamaru murmured as Naruto busted down the door in anger. 

“I have something to announce!” Naruto shouted. Sakura followed in after Naruto. Chouji, Hinata, Shino, and Kiba silently listened in on the conversation.

Kakashi sat up on his chair and crossed his arms on the table, “What is it Naruto.”

“The mission you gave me, I have a body.”

All of their eyes sternly observed the yellow-haired shinobi. “The Aburame is dead but the other four hadn’t made a move at all-”

“Wait a second,” Sakura stopped him, “this was an actual mission?”

“It’s a secret mission,” Kakashi replied.

“It’s no longer a secret,” Naruto beamed. “One of our comrades is in between life and death— it shouldn’t have been a secret mission in the first place!” 

Kakashi’s brow raised, “Whose life?”

Naruto’s eyes shaken up to Neji’s expression and he glanced to Shikamaru. “The Aburame attacked— he attacked-” he balled his fists and gritted his teeth. Never had he been this irritated since the war. 

Sakura placed a gentle hand on Naruto’s finger as he hung his head low. She gulped and directed her attention to Kakashi. “The rest of Konoha 13 had been notified of this assault, Hokage-sama. It should have never been a secret in the first place.”

Sasuke glanced at the way Sakura touched Naruto. He tensed up as the woman he wanted to avoid stood before him. Though he didn’t want to veer his sight toward her, he couldn’t help but be drawn to her whenever she spoke. 

“The assault would have been avoided altogether had we known, Hokage-sama,” Sakura added.

“Whose life is it?” Kakashi asked once more. 

Sakura turned to look at Neji and her eyelids lowered. Shikamaru, who stood behind the prodigy’s heart shook. “Is it Chouji? Ino?” She shook her head no.

It was in that instant that Neji’s hear plundered into despair. His body wanted to thrust itself out of the building. If Lee was hurt, near the point of death, he’d never forgive himself. Despite not being related at all, they were a family too close to not feel anything at all. But if the person who was hurt was Tenten, he’d cast himself out this instance to run to her. His heart pounded, waiting for Sakura to debrief to him who the person was. 

“We don’t know for what reason it occurred, but the Aburame and Tenten entered a fatal brawl, leaving him decapitated and her unresponsive.” 

Everyone panned to the dead expression on Neji’s face. 

Sasuke didn’t know why he even bothered to compare his love-stricken madness with the prodigy. A small part of him caved in. If he was in the prodigy’s situation, he would have left in that instant. 

Neji couldn’t even breathe. “I’ll excuse myself,” he managed to say before stiffly turning around and walking out. He walked past the crowd in the hallway, hearing the faint voice of his cousin calling to him. 

“Continue,” Kakashi finally worded. 

Sakura turned her attention back to Kakashi and nodded. “On the night of September…”

.

.

He wouldn’t it call beelining toward her. Neji did say he was going to run toward her but he didn’t think it through. He didn’t really accept that she’d be in between life and death. That was just not her, not the person he knew her to be. He told her to stay alive for him as he would do for her but she couldn’t keep the promise. Before he knew it, he was already by her door. 

The dread seeped in with every inch of his hand coming closer to the handle. Neji slid the door open and met Ino, Sai, Lee, and Gai-sensei’s sadden eyes. “May I have a moment-”

“Yes,” Ino shot up from her seat, “yes, Neji-san.” She pulled Sai up.

Neji looked away, not wanting to see the tearful eyes of his teacher and his friends. He stepped to the side to let them out and when they were gone, he finally set his eyes upon her lifeless body.

The monitor’s sound recorded her heartbeat, it was the only sound that permeated throughout the room. Neji finally walked closer to her bed, taking in the pale face of the one he loved. He didn’t know if he came any closer, would it be considered a sin?

In a sudden flush, he threw away all of those barriers and distances he’s placed upon them. How more lenient could their circumstances be? As far as he knew, distance didn’t matter. For the past three months, he was in another nation; he was as far as he could be from her. And yet, she still got hurt. Now, Neji knew why he was overcome with anxiety on that cold night. 

Neji occupied the chair next to her as the sun beamed down on them from the window. The window blew in the wind from outside, animating the fringes of her hair. It was the only thing that moved. If their circumstances were to stop loving one another in order to live, the shrine keeper should have made it clear. Then again, he knew he wouldn’t be able to do it. 

He gently held her hand, caressing it as softly as he could. He could finally hold her hand and imply that he longed for her, but she wouldn’t know that. “Did you drink a lot of water?” he asked her. “Did you limit your training sessions?” He gazed at her unwavering eyelids.  _ “Can you hear my voice, Tenten?” _ Neji pressed his cheeks to her hand. This was her hand, the hand that bore many memories for him. From the moment she held his hands into her’s on that dark night, that night when she returned from her personal mission to his hospital room some four years ago, he was already her’s. From the moment she placed her forehead onto his hand, he belonged to her. Neji pressed his lips onto the surface of her hand. His lips trembled and he suppressed a lump in his throat. “So long as you did either of these, I’ll forgive you for not keeping your promise to me.”

Neji rested his hand onto her bedding just like when she did to him. He no longer cared for their passage into the old age. He only wanted her to recover. “I still have many things to show you, Tenten,” he whispered to her, “you can’t leave me just yet.” A single tear dropped onto her linen. He couldn’t even smell her scent anymore. 

Time was nonexistent in that moment. He stayed there for as long as he could, relishing in the thought of her. What had he missed? Neji missed her undeniable scent. He missed seeing the glow of her irises. The weather out there was perfect for showcasing how her eyes glistened under the sun. However, he wouldn’t be able to see it today. The timing today was wrong, and the temperature within the hospital was too cold to be holding her hand but he did so anyway. 

Figuratively, the wildflowers wilted after he passed by them. Neji warmed her hand with his own for however long he could. She couldn’t stop blooming so readily for him. She must have exhausted herself.

_ “The sound of your voice only live in my memories. How long must I wait to hear from you?” _ Her silence was like an echoless cave he’d walked into. No matter how much he called to her, she no longer responded. Neji sat there, unmoved until dusk. It was as if time had stopped for him while the heavens looked on. They were still pitiless to him. If she could not wake up, he would do the same. To be stuck in time was better than to tread the future alone.  _ “If you’re not watching me, I won’t do anything.” _ If she kissed him, he’d kiss back. If she hugged him, he’d do the same. And now, if she refused to wake, he’d close his eyes and accompany her on their journey in the darkness. 

They’d stand together and take the same steps together. He’ll never leave her behind him now. Neji kissed her forehead, brushing her hair as he pulled away. Her locks were strands of silk and they spread across her pillow. Neji leaned close to Tenten’s ear as a tear escaped from his eyes and plunked itself onto her cheek, “You are my hope, Tenten. For the future I cannot see, you are my light. As long as you are mine, I will come to you.”

It was four in the dark of the morning when Neji left her side.  _ “I will come tomorrow, and the day after, and so on.” _ He sluggishly returned to his home, having no energy left to spare. 

That night, Neji dreamed more than he should. 

From a great distance, on a field of grass that grew up to his waist, he let the high noon sun beat down on him. It was just him alone. Not even a wind accompanied him. He didn’t know why he was here or if he was waiting for something, but he stayed there to bask in the calming silence. 

“I’m sorry for making you wait so long.”

The sound of Tenten’s voice bellowed behind him. Neji swiftly turned around as if he’d been expecting her. “Tenten,” he called her name. A sense of bliss entered his body. She was so far away from him.

Tenten walked toward him slowly, her arms swayed nonchalantly and her grin never changed. His heart beat fast, hearing her voice so clearly. “I’d wait for you even if it is an eternity,” he replied to her. The closer she came to him, the more he smiled. She finally reached him. Neji looked into her eyes, there were sorrow and pain in them. 

Neji held both her hands and pulled her close to him, “I missed you.” Her voice dipped as she responded back, a lump formed at her throat and her eyes glistened with tears. “I’ve been waiting for you to come to me.”

“Why did you only come now?” he asked. His thumb wiped away her tear, “I missed you too.” 

Her tears fell constantly as he caressed her cheek. She smiled with a grimace as if his touch caused her pain. “I wanted to see you before I go, Neji.” Tenten gazed into his eyes. 

He pressed their foreheads together. Her words cut his heart into pieces. Where was she going? Without even knowing, his tears fell. “Tenten, wherever you go, I will follow.” 

“You know I love you, right?” She was in a haste to go, like something was beckoning her to rush her goodbyes to him. 

Her words jabbed at him. She was leaving him. “Tenten.”

“You realize things when it’s too late, don’t be so stubborn next time.” Tenten took a step away from him. She wasn't herself, as if she was controlled by something he couldn't see. It was as if her choice to stay or leave wasn’t up to her. 

Neji held onto her tightly. He pulled her into an embrace, taking in the form of her body against his’. “Please, please don’t go.” 

Suddenly, it was as if the world was pulling them apart. It pried his hands from her and it pried her hands from him. She mouthed to him but he couldn’t hear it at all. Neji panicked, grabbing at the air to have her back beside him. He screamed to her but nothing came out. 

Neji shot up heaving for air. It was still dark. He realized he had truly been crying all along. He felt his heartbeat drumming. He wiped his tears away and put on his shinobi sandals. His heart was sick as if he was going to war again. Wherever Tenten was going, he was going to follow her. Neji dashed out of his compound toward the hospital. Whether it was death or not, he wouldn’t hesitate to follow her steps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just in case it wasn't as clear as can be, Tenten's dream was another vision from her clairvoyance. She was able to see past alternate universes in certain points in her life where she should have succumbed to death. This scene is very much like the initial scene where Neji gets flashes of the multiple ways of how he could have died in the war.


	50. Guqin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji's home is attacked after he parts with Tenten to retrieve the instrument. Hiashi, Hinata, and Hanabi battle the enemy.

Tenten knew that what she witnessed were dreams. That could only be the explanation of why. Her seering adventures came to her once more in the oddest times. Ever since the war, she hadn’t had these dreams especially when it came to him. It had been a long while since she was able to dream of Neji. Tenten didn’t think she’d be able to do so after messing with the strings.  _ “Could this perhaps mean something more?” _ Clairvoyance was a gift she had been bestowed with, but seeing as how it was almost ripped from her hands before, Tenten wondered if it truly returned. 

The only oddity that occurred with this dream was that it wasn’t a dream of the future at all. Therefore, she was correct in surmising that she couldn’t see the future anymore because it was true. Tenten dreamed of the two times she died, or of the two times, she was supposed to die. It didn’t mean that she escaped death. No, Tenten knew better than that. These dreams were the ends of her alternate lives. The butterfly effect chose where she died and these two situations were where she was supposed to ascend to heaven. 

She just couldn’t understand that in both versions, Neji had to die first. He died and had to wait for her to join him. It astonished her that her death, this death where it occurred in her home, was supposed to be the final death that accompanied the line in which he died in the war. Neji must have waited long for her to follow after him. 

She recalled the initial yearning for him. It was particularly too strong and it was probably why she had these dreams come to her. Never had Tenten manifested his image just from her will. She wanted him to come and he did, just in a different way. 

Tenten was done dreaming. She didn’t know how long it must have taken her to experience these dreams but she hoped it wasn’t long. The last thing she remembered was looking at the agape door before she blacked out. And if she certainly dreamed, it meant that she was definitely alive and well.  _ “Break goddammit!” _ She wanted to get out of her sleep now. 

Neji paced through the hospital doors with a tired expression. “Neji-san? You’re back?” the receptionist at the desk commented. He paid her no attention. “It’s only been an hour though?” 

Whether Tenten wakes or dies, Neji would be there. He couldn’t really say that his dream meant anything, but if it did, this was it. He slammed her door open and saw an empty bed. Neji’s heart lightened up. She woke up but now he had no idea where she was. “Neji?” He swung around to the hallway and spotted her rounding the corner. “You’re back?” 

Without thinking of the consequences, he sped toward her and put his arms around her body. Their hug was long overdue. 

Tenten tensed up at first, but she soon melted into his embrace. She’s forgotten how warm he was and how gentle his hugs were. Tenten raised her hands up to reciprocate the touch. It hasn’t been nearly as long as the years she went on by not telling him that she loved him, but she missed his touches more now that she’s received them. 

Neji took in her scent, replaying how she said his name over and over in his head. His hands felt the curves of her back, from her shoulders to her shoulder-blades and to her spine, she’d gotten thinner than he remembered. “Just because I didn’t remind you to eat doesn’t mean it’s an excuse not to.”

Tenten chuckled and pushed him away from her, “You stink. Did you seriously just come back?”

“This afternoon actually.” His hands clung onto her hospital gown, refusing to part from her. 

“Why didn’t you go home and shower?”

Neji solemnly looked into her eyes. She seemed so normal now, but he really went through a dozen of emotions just earlier because of her. “Because I couldn’t stop thinking of you.” 

She smiled and bit her lower lip. That was her habit and he’d taken a liking to it. “Please let go of me, have you forgotten?” 

“I’ve decided to ignore it,” he told her. 

“Neji.”

“Just for a moment,” he interrupted her, “let me hold you.”

Tenten let him, not because she caved in but because she wanted it too. He walked her back to her room and they opened the window whilst they looked out to the village skylines. The moon hadn't left the sky even as the sunrise began its course.  

Neji counted the sins they’ve made today. Regardless of it all, he hugged her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder as his arms coiled tightly against her stomach. The Autumn air in the night wasn’t as cold as in Summer days he spent before leaving on the mission. He cherished her presence, unsure when he’ll use up all these precious time and ask for more. Peace had only begun and there was a rocky road that they must bridge over in order to truly achieve it. Neji took in a deep breath with her in his arms. He never wanted to part from her ever again. 

“No one knows why you were attacked except you,” he told her. “We can apprehend them if they strike again, but without knowing their goals, we can’t predict where they’ll strike next.”

“There are more of them?”

“Yes.”

“I should report to Hokage-sama right away,” she announced. 

Neji’s lips made contact with her neck and closed his eyes. “Are you capable?” He didn't want them to part. Over and over again, rhythmically, he took in her lost scent. Holding her so tightly to him, his mind spiraled to conjure coherent steps for their future. Neji believed that they could begin to undo this entangled fate right now. The moment the peace treaties were in effect, he'd marry her in an instant. There would be no more worries about her health, for he'd be right beside her. There would be no more need to separate for the sake of separating because it would already be the time to make up for the time they've lost. Lost in her scent, he continued to hold her. 

“I am,” she assured him. “You have to return home and retrieve the gǔqín and bring it to the Hokage’s office."

In an instant, his mirage broke. Neji lifted his eyelids and his breath hitched, “The instrument? Why?”

“Inside the gǔqín is a seal with the tools of the Sage of the Six Paths,” she told him. “I thought it’ll be safe with you because you are the strongest person I know and trust.” Tenten moved from his embrace and met his eyes, “You are still the strongest person I’ll admit, but if it puts you in danger, I’ll have to take it back.”

Neji looked into her eyes and for a moment a spark entered her eyes. The sun’s presence had shown a new set of glory for him to admire. Within her eyes bore the dutiful shinobi she was. Perhaps he was too brash in his needs. “Looks like we’re back to our charades again, for now,” Neji joked and she giggled. He still wanted to make it known of his desire and all of the steps he'd lined for them toward the future. Neji gripped her hands, “When this mission is all over, I want to propose an addendum for us.”

“I’ll be sure to hear it,” she nodded to him. They both parted from one another. Whatever came their way because of this fleeting moment, he swore to protect her.

.

.

Neji neared the Hyuuga compound. The instrument was in his home, laying carelessly on the floor of his empty room. Just then, he spotted a massive explosion from a distance. It was definitely in the compound. Neji activated his byakugan, he didn’t want to give it its proper name just yet. The explosion came from his home. Neji quickened his pace. His uncle was already there and another identified suspect engaged in battle with him. 

Hiashi was blown by the sudden compacted air. He hadn’t expected the suspect to suspend air toward him. Luckily, Hiashi was able to lessen the impact of the compacted cannon of air by entering the kaiten, causing the trajectory of the enemy’s attack to bounce and pulverize his nephew’s courtyard wall. The attack knocked him out of breath for an unknown reason and he momentarily glanced at his arms. Black particles stuck itself to his skin and seeped through his muscles to eat and block his tenketsu. This wasn’t good and Hiashi knew it. 

“Thank god I was able to get to those pesky arms,” the enemy commented. He held the gǔqín with his left arm as his right arm extended itself toward Hiashi. “Getting hit with anything from your hands would mean death for me.” His right arm sucked in air for another attack.

“Don’t underestimate the Hyuuga clan,” Hiashi spat. He charged his chakra to his hands with great difficulty. It was even getting difficult to raise both his arms up. “Hakke Kūhekishō!”

The enemy dropped the instrument onto the ground and raised his other arm. “Decapitating Airwaves!” 

Both the airwaves and Hiashi’s chakra blast blew the unused air around them into the air, ruffling fallen leaves and dusting the dirt into the sky. 

“Papa!” Hanabi immediately called from the sidelines. She quickly entered the Eight Trigrams before seeing her father be overblown by the enemy’s attack. She saw it clearly with her activated eyes as her father was launched into the air. Hanabi felt her sister’s presence inching closer from behind. Thus, instead of following through with her attack, she jumped in between her father and the enemy to try and catch her father. 

“Hanabi! Father!” Hinata’s scream pierced through the village, enough for Naruto to shoot straight up from his sleep. The veins grew on her cheeks. The enemy lowered his hands at the increasing amount of reinforcements. He grabbed the gǔqín but not before Hinata lunged at him into a hand-to-hand brawl. “You’re not getting away!” She attacked him. The enemy spun around, using the instrument as a shield to block her pinpoint attacks. He did not have the time to charge his airwaves and thus must avoid her deadly juuken styled fists as best as he could. 

Hinata ought to strike through the instrument, but she knew she couldn’t. It was Neji’s property, a property she hadn’t known he owned. And seeing that she had never seen such an instrument, she surmised that it probably didn’t belong to her cousin. She tried to rip the instrument from the enemy’s hands, but he too wanted it as much as she did. Hinata rose her leg to kick him, not realizing he was mirroring her exact aim. 

Their kicks both launched them in opposite directions, him straight toward Neji’s engawa and her toward Hanabi struggling to sit their father up. Hinata kneeled up on one knee, “Get father up and leave!” She stared at the broken paper doors of her cousin’s home. The enemy rose to his feet with the instrument in his hand. 

“Papa, get up!” Hanabi pressed on. She didn’t even know she had been hit with the airwaves that limped her father either. 

If more Hyuuga appeared, he’d truly be in a pinch. The enemy needed to transfer the instrument out of the clan’s compound before he meets his death against the clan’s insurmountable power. “You want to die too?!” He projected his palm toward Hinata. Just one more blast and he’ll make his escape. The enemy stepped down from the engawa and Hinata got to her feet. 

She entered the juuken’s fighting stance and quickly drew herself to the Twin Lions Fists. The enemy snickered as Hinata charged at him. He released the collected air and blew it toward her. “Die!”

With one fluid movement, Neji jumped in between Hinata and the airwave barrage and split the enemy’s attack in half, sending the air cannon to the left and right, toppling a large portion of his home and his gate. Hinata stumbled and she stopped in her tracks to marvel at her cousin’s appearance. “Neji nii-san!” she breathed. 

Neji squinted, narrowing in on the gǔqín in the enemy’s hand. “Stand back-”

“Hinata,” Hanabi managed to squeak before she collapsed onto the ground. Her body slowly gave up on her and she couldn’t do anything but lie on the ground next to her father. “I— can’t move.”

Naruto busted over the rubble, “Neji! Hinata!” 

Neji’s vision eyed the blonde man. He was barefoot in his sweats and a stained white shirt. Neji presumed it was ramen broth. 

Hinata tilted her head toward Naruto but hurried to keep her eyes back on the enemy.

“Take Hanabi and Hiashi-sama to safety,” Neji told her.

Hinata refused, “I have to protect you. You’re going to be the heir-”

“You’re no match for him,” Neji thundered. “Naruto, evacuate them.”

“Nii-san,” she begged.

The enemy scoffed, “You Konoha shinobi sure talk a lot during battle.” His eyes narrowed on the newcomer’s distinctive eyes: Neji’s eyes. He immediately shook his right arm, snaking message back to the other three. 

Naruto glanced at Neji’s back. Determination fired in his eyes, “Alright!” He’d return as soon as he got Hinata’s family into safety. 

“Go,” Neji firmed to Hinata. Hinata released the Twin Lions Fists and turned around. She hurried to her sister as Naruto picked up her father. 

“Tch,” the enemy gripped the instrument tighter. “I didn’t think you’d be this quick in catching on to our plans.”

Neji didn’t reply. He extended a stretching palm toward the enemy and felt a force move within his hand. It was as if he was holding onto the attractive force unseeable to the eye, not even his eyes. Neji recalled encountering this attractive force when he was at the Kage Summit. He didn’t use it though he could have, then. But now, he needed to use it. 

The enemy pointed his hand at him once more, “I don’t know how you managed to split by attack, but it won’t happen again!” The enemy jumped back onto his roof and released his airwaves. Neji lunged right after him, putting his arm down and losing the attractive force sensation in his hand. 

Neji immediately spun into his kaiten, but instead of emitting chakra to complete the absolute defense, he merely used the accumulated moving air around him to disperse the enemy’s barrage. With the tainted air around him, Neji could see the pollutant minerals embedded into the airwaves. As he landed onto his roof, the enemy was already up in the air to get away from him. 

Without waste, he drilled his palm up to aim at the fleeing man. With one forceful motion, he sent a needle-like projection of his chakra straight to the man’s back, striking him directly on a tenketsu. Neji yanked the chakra thread-like projection, causing the enemy to teeter in mid-air. 

The enemy dropped the instrument as he felt his whole body freeze and refuse to move. In an instant, just that one tenketsu blockage caused his whole body to shut down. He plundered toward the ground, crashing on top of a nearby wall structure that hadn’t been disturbed. 

Neji quickly aimed his hand to the gǔqín. His fingers felt the sensation again and he immediately pulled the falling instrument straight to his hand. His eyes were in disbelief.  _ “Did that just happen?” _ He’d read this ability before after Pein’s attack. Neji was sure that what he just did was not in the tattered book he found placed on his doorstep months ago. There was no doubt that this ability came with the tenseigan. “Banshō Ten'in, if I remember correctly,” he whispered to himself. Neji ought to return to the Nara library. 

“Get ready to be beaten up!” Naruto shouted as he jumped onto Neji’s roof and stood beside him. He stared at the struggling body trying to move on top of the wall. “What the-”

Neji deactivated his eyes and walked toward the enemy, “Is the devastation conclusive, Naruto?” 

Naruto glanced at Neji and then to the destruction surrounding them, “This one is definitely stronger.” He was in disbelief at Neji’s quick take-down. Naruto was gone for ten seconds at most after stashing Hiashi behind one of the many Hyuuga walls. Indeed, Neji has gotten stronger, much stronger than he remembered. He followed after the long-haired man. 

“Do you mind apprehending him?” Neji asked. “I have to head to the Hokage’s office immediately.”

“I got him,” Naruto assured the older man. Neji turned around feeling fatigued from his lack of sleep. He headed straight to his destination.

.

.

Neji watched as Tenten took apart the gǔqín in front of Kakashi. She pounded on the instrument twice at both ends, then flipped the gǔqín over to its side and loosened the strings. When the strings fell off, she dug her nails into the mid-section of the two boards and parted them. From within laid one piece of seal neatly plastered to the underbelly of the top board. She made a long series of hand signals, conjuring for each locked characters to open. And for the final bit, Tenten finally bit her thumb and smeared her blood in a calligraphy character he couldn’t decipher before a puff of smoke appeared. 

Within her hands, she held three scrolls. Tenten handed it to Kakashi, “They’re after these,” she told him. “The tools of the Sage of the Six Paths are not safe with me, but-”

“But only you know how to use it,” Kakashi replied. “Since the shinobi ban is lifted, you should hone your skills to use them properly.” Kakashi looked to Sasuke, “How’s the detainment?”

“One escaped shortly before we received the motion to move,” Sasuke walked over and pointed to one of the suspects as Shikamaru stretched his neck, “Asumi, her pseudonym as a refugee.”

“Just give the order and we’ll be able to take her down,” Neji added. 

Kakashi shook his head no, “As much as I’d like that, doing so will bring about attention too early onto the new era for peace. I’ll have more eyes to scan the perimeter in case she does return with reinforcements but I highly doubt it.” 

“Why is that?” Shikamaru asked. 

“These suspects are from the Sound,” Kakashi explained. “Their political governance is trying to recover these past decades. Running after a flea is equivalent to overkill.” 

Sasuke sighed and looked out the window. The sun had risen up now, “Then that means-”

“That means your mission is concluded,” Kakashi concluded, “take a rest. It’ll be a long time until anyone receives a mission of any sort.” It also meant he’d be bombarded with fewer stacks of papers to file. 

And with that, Sasuke headed for the door. “Wait, Sasuke,” Kakashi called to him. 

“What is it?”

“If you see Naruto, call him here.”

Sasuke simply nodded and left. 

Tenten picked up the pieces of the gǔqín only to have Neji take them from her. She juggled the scrolls as they followed Shikamaru out the door. 

“Shikamaru,” Neji called to him. 

He turned around with a tired pair of eyes, “Yes?”

“Can you reserve the book of the Deva Path for me? I have some inquiries to research for.” 

Shikamaru rubbed the back of his neck and nodded, “I’ll arrange for someone to hold it for you.” 

Tenten glanced at the Nara and she tilted her head as her brow arched. She purposefully slowed down just so they’d distance themselves from the lone man. “Did something happen to him?” she asked Neji. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Shikamaru looks very impatient for a man who takes his time doing anything mundane.”

Neji looked down to her and he suppressed a laugh. “He confessed to Temari.”

Tenten’s head snapped to him and her eyes bore amazement. 

He nodded, “She came along with the Kazekage, and when he improperly proposed, she insisted that she’d move into Konoha right away.” 

“Huh,” Tenten managed as she looked onwards. “They’re destined to be together.”

“But you’re wrong though,” Neji incited. 

“Wrong about what?”

“Wrong about him being impatient.”

She squinted, “Do explain.”

“He’s nervous.” 

Tenten burst out laughing when she thought about it. She knew Temari was a scary woman. She’d be nervous too if she were to fight the woman again. “Oh, that’s good.”

Neji leaned into her ear, closing in on their distance, “Are we good too?” 

His voice flowed through to her ears and she leaned back. Tenten didn’t know when this was the appropriate thing to do. She wasn’t even sure if the heavens would allow them to be this close. But she blushed, not because of their intimacy, if that could even be considered an intimate thing. She blushed because she could confidently say that- “Yes, we are good.” 

“Perfect.”

They reached the outside of the Hokage’s office but it wasn’t time to part. He didn’t want to part just yet. 

“Tenten.” 

She glanced at him, “Yes?” 

Neji squandered on the subject, “About the addendum, will you hear it now?”

“Oh right,” Tenten remembered. “Go ahead.” 

He held the gǔqín closely to his chest and parted his lips. There were so many things to say, so many agreements to be made. With peace underway, would it be okay for them to come together now? Would it be okay to tear down one wall of their charades? Neji knew he was rushing the events, but he truly couldn’t risk losing her now, not after almost believing he'd lost her early that morning. Neji stared into her eyes, they were golden now under the Autumn sun. “Will you m-”

“Nii-san!” Hinata rushed toward them. 

He tore their intense gaze and they turned to her. 

“Hinata?” Tenten observed as the kunoichi ran toward them. “What is the matter?” 

Hinata’s cheeks were red and so was her nose. She had been crying. “Please come with me to the hospital.” 

Neji looked to Tenten. The situation called for urgency and he wasn’t sure if she wanted to accompany him. 

Tenten gave him a smile and took the instrument from his arms. “I heard your place was destroyed,” she grinned and managed to hold onto the scrolls and the gǔqín altogether. “I’ll keep it with me and reassemble it for you, hm?” 

It hadn’t quite registered to him that his home was destroyed but now that she reminded him, he merely accepted her conditions. “Thank you again, Tenten.” 

“No problem.” Tenten watched as he reluctantly looked back to her before scaling the roofs. Her eyes watched everywhere that he perched until he was gone from her sight. Tenten then looked down to the instrument, “the addendum will have to wait for another day.”


	51. The Flightless Bird

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji wakes up two days later after fainting at the hospital. He visits his uncle and accepts the title of the Heir. He asks for one day and one night to settle his affairs with his friends outside of the compound.

Neji was tired of everything, physically, emotionally, and mentally. He was tired of having things thrown at him. The more he pressed on forward to the future, the more difficult it was to live the simple life he used to have. 

He sat on the lonely bench out in the hallway of the dimly lit hospital. It was depressing to trudge on forward. He leaned his elbows to his knees and planted his face onto his hands. His head laid low and he wished there was more he could do. 

Behind the door next to him was his uncle and cousin hanging on to the mere life they had. His grandfather was inside with many others whilst people like Hiro stood outside with their chin pressed against their chests. 

“They’ve been inflicted with the same toxins in Tenten’s body when she was attacked,” Sakura relayed the information to him. 

Sakura had called him up from his seat and walked him down to another hall where there were no clansmen of his surname. Ino was there and so was the ever so tired Shikamaru. “The antidote that Sakura and I made was barely enough to cure Tenten, but there are no more Fukagawa deer antlers to create it,” Ino explained to Neji. 

Now he knew why Shikamaru was there. Deer grooming was Nara’s specialty. They were keen on using deer antlers along with the Yamanaka’s botany and herbal skills coupled with the Akimichi’s extensive knowledge of side effects and uses and misuses. 

“The Fukagawa deer antlers had been stowed away for a century or so because of its rarity,” Shikamaru told Neji, “our forests cannot groom this subspecies of deers.”

“You’re telling me there is no other way to save them,” Neji responded tiredly. His voice was barely audible. 

Ino rubbed her arm and looked to the ground and Sakura couldn’t bear to look at the prodigy any longer. “I asked for whatever the Nara had left of the antlers when Tenten was injured,” Ino told him. 

“What’s going to happen next?” Neji breathed. 

“Hiashi demanded that the remaining antidote be given to Hanabi, but she won’t fully recover,” Sakura lowered her head. “Ino and I can only slow the process of decay so much, Neji. There’s nothing more we can do for them.”

Neji stared blankly at the wall. He was exhausted. He hadn’t slept properly for five nights straight. From the moment they left the Kage Summit to today, he was drained. He finally felt the onslaught of his body giving up on him coming. “What must I expect next?” he asked. 

Shikamaru leaned against the wall as he closed his eyes. Ino looked to the prodigy’s pale face, “I don’t have the time stamp of Hiashi-sama’s life, but it won’t be as graceful as we all wish. The limpness would soon go away but the damage to his body is done.” His face hardened and she paused, unsure if she should continue. 

“Go on,” he pressed. 

Ino gulped, “He’ll grow weak in a short amount of time and succumb to the toxin.”

Neji rubbed the bridge of his nose, “And what about Hanabi?” Hanabi’s life only began. 

“She will live long enough until we find more of the rare antlers,” Ino told him. 

“I’ll get started with contacting the other Lands, Neji,” Shikamaru assured him. “We can’t guarantee that we’ll find it soon enough to save your uncle.” 

Neji needed to lay down immediately. He supported himself to the wall, “Thank you,” was all he could muster through a whisper. 

“You should rest, Neji-san,” Sakura insisted. 

“I’ll be fine,” his whisper trailed off. Neji slowly rounded the corner as he dragged his heavy feet along. He wasn’t fine. Neji wasn’t fine at all. Coupled with the world spinning at his feet and the thought of losing his uncle, the only blood-father figure he had left, he only wished that this was a dream. 

He didn’t want to believe it and he couldn’t even walk inside to assure his uncle of his health. But Neji’s health wasn’t faring better too and he’d rather spare his uncle’s worries. 

_ “Hanabi inhabits the title for you, and when you’re ready to take it, it will be yours… I want to witness your ceremonial inauguration before I die, so please hurry with your answer.”  _ Neji’s head felt twisted and pulverized. The more he thought, the faster the world spun. Hanabi wouldn’t be the same person she was after today. 

_ “I will not force you unless you truly accept it.” _ Neji stumbled nearer and nearer to the clansmen as they stood silently in the hallway. Even though Hiashi wasn’t forcing him, the situation was. It ripped his choices out of his hands. He knew Hinata never wanted to sit on the throne and call herself the Heiress. And knowing her desire for the Uzumaki boy, there was no way that the Hyuuga clan would allow her to marry him if she occupied the throne. 

And then his thoughts landed onto the prospects of Tenten. His mind wanted to explode. He wanted everything to stop and let him breathe. In just one year, he’s derailed everything and now the world was gnawing at his limbs. 

_ “Addendum,” _ he thought. His addendum to her, he’d never be able to mention the thought of having her beside him ever, if he claimed the throne of the Heir. Everything was against him. Neji’s heartbeat slowed and he stood stiffly in the middle of the hallway as his clansmen had noticed his sluggish look. 

His heart cried for mercy. It cried for mercy from the heavens. And it seemed as though the heavens heard him, at least that was what he thought. In an instant, his vision turned to black and he ceased to think or to feel. Swallowed into the darkness, and in the emptiness the world had to offer, he stayed, never wanting to leave. 

A cacophony of hushed voices crackled from the adjoining hall. Sakura, Ino, and Shikamaru peered from their hallway and discovered the Hyuuga clansmen huddled on the ground. Sakura stepped forward and her eyes widen. “Oh no,” she mouthed. 

Hiro picked up Neji from the ground, pitying him and his situation. Never did he think he’d be stretching his generosity to the Hyuuga boy who he despised. 

“Bring him this way,” Sakura instructed. She led Hiro across the hall. 

Ino and Shikamaru watched as the paleness of the already fair-skinned prodigy passed by them. 

Shikamaru was struck with fear in his heart. He’d never imagine one of the strongest shinobi he knew to faint or show weakness. “He hasn’t had a full night’s rest since the day the convoy moved out from the Summit.”

“Do you really think that’s all it is?” Ino questioned him. She glared at him with worry in her eyes. 

He shook his head no, “I’m sure it’s stress,” Shikamaru walked the opposite way. He needed to get out of the depressive hospital. There were too many memories here that he’d rather not think about. “An insurmountable amount of stress,” he added. 

Ino ought to tell Neji’s teammates but she stopped herself. So many unfortunate things occurred too close to one another. “It’s just stress,” she simplified the ordeal, “ _ just _ stress.” Ino took in a deep breath and followed after Sakura.

.

.

The sound of leaves swirling in the wind and pressing itself against the paper window blared into Neji’s ears. He was awake but he didn’t want to open his eyes. This wasn’t his home because it didn’t smell like it. The light that bled through the paper window wasn’t the same because it didn’t hit his face as it always did. Neji didn’t know how long he’s slept but he knew that he was nowhere near the hospital. 

He was back in the Hyuuga compounds, in which part of the estate? He didn’t know. Neji simply didn’t know and he didn’t want to know. The events that occurred prior to fainting were still fresh in his mind. He hadn’t come to terms with it yet. And so he pretended to be asleep even when he heard the shuffling of footsteps enter the room. He didn’t care because it wasn’t his room. It wasn’t his home and it wasn’t the familiar sound of the woman he’s come to love. She’d never make a sound if she ever came to visit him. She wasn’t allowed to enter anyway. 

Pretending to sleep reminded him of when he was still a genin. He pretended to sleep when Shikamaru entered to give his apologies. He played it so perfectly when Tenten barged in afterward and sealed his fate to her. It would be all the better with her here now instead of whoever just came in. “Nii-san,” the voice spoke to him.  _ “Ah, it’s Hinata.” _ He didn’t know why he set himself up only to be disappointed. Neji said she couldn't come here anyways yet he still wanted her presence. It was at times like these that he needed Tenten to confide in.

“The clan is growing uneasy, my father is waiting for you,” she spoke to him with a tinge of sadness. “Two days of your absence can’t compete with the three months you’ve left on your mission but please, please wake up soon.”

Even his cousin swiped his power to choose from him. Everyone wished for him to gracefully take over the duties of the Heir without ever considering what he felt about it all. He felt her wipe away the cold sweat that perspired from his forehead. He wished it was Tenten instead. Maybe with her here willing to listen to his needs, he wouldn’t be pretending to lay unconscious like a child. 

It was guilt that he felt. The guilt sat in his stomach and churned his guts into mush. Neji hated feeling powerless even when he knew he was the opposite. His morals banged constantly in his head. He also despised his morals as well. If not for them, if not for valuing his clan so much, he would have eloped with Tenten long ago. Perhaps, if he wasn’t fed with the notions of the Hyuuga’s prestige, if he wasn’t so gullible, he would have recognized his fervent desire for her from a young age. Then, if it was like this, he would have just enough time to cherish her over the long years that he knew her. And so when it was time for him to perish the way he should have, he would have no regrets. Like this, he wouldn’t have to crawl and scrape at every little chance he got, to show her how much his love for her was. 

Enough with the child play, Neji sat up as his core burned incessantly. Hinata was long gone and he came to his resolve. He couldn’t beat it, that is, his guilt for stalling his time. To do so and run from his duty was selfish. Was it selfish? Neji definitely believed he was. 

All the possibilities and choices he could make as the Heir would fulfill his need to change the clan. He only disliked the fact that he must trade his love in order to achieve it. Yes, Neji believed his love was that strong. He also disliked that Tenten knew she was burdening him with what they had, if they considered long gazes and punishable touches from the heavens to be a relationship. It was why she proposed to charade their platonic friendship. It was why he was hurt and it was why she was hurt. No matter how much he’d tell himself he was fine and perfectly filled with her love just from the brief moments they shared, he’d always return home to the thought of what they could have been. He didn’t want to have to choose between one and the other. His heart could only take so much beating. 

The thought of walking with her hand by hand into his quaint home was the ultimate dream that he could never dream of. Right, his home, his family’s home, his father and mother’s home was destroyed. Neji finally looked at his surroundings. He was in the vacant guest room in his uncle’s home. Staying within the walls of the estate suffocated him. He’d never be able to breathe freely here. It was why he hated here too. 

Being within the walls of the estate was like a palace in itself. White glossy eyes would watch his every move, critique his every decision, and never cease to let him rest. Neji wondered how his cousins managed to grow in such a place. The estate wasn’t home, it didn’t feel like home. 

“Uncle is waiting for me,” Neji rose up to his feet and trudged toward the door. He no longer wore his shinobi uniform. To be changed and tended to like a child, he disliked that anyone could touch his body as freely as they wanted. Neji slid the door open and met other people’s gazes. 

His uncle’s courtyard had three-too many people than normal. Hiro was present, as was Takashi, and Neiro’s assistant. No one frequented his uncle’s home as much as he did and to see them all staring back at him with astonishment in their eyes gave him a clue of how serious the matter was. Silently and as pristinely as he could, he walked to his uncle’s chambers. 

All the doors were open in his uncle’s chambers. Sunlight flushed in as it was welcomed. There was no need to announce himself and he entered the room to sit beside his grandfather. They had been waiting for him for some time.  Neji couldn’t meet his uncle’s eyes. He feared that he’ll remember his own father’s face. 

“Neji,” Hiashi’s hoarse voice bellowed his name. 

He gulped. His throat was dry, “Yes, uncle.”

“Remember what I asked of you?”

The only important thing Hiashi asked was for him to take the throne of the Heir. “I do.”

“My days are numbered,” Hiashi coughed out. “I’d like to prepare your ceremonial coronation soon. That is, if you wholeheartedly want it.” 

Neji couldn’t reply back and he knew his grandfather was staring him down. It’s not that he couldn’t reach the expectations of his family, it was that he didn’t know if he should meet it.

“Hizashi would have been proud of you regardless of any choice you make, Neji,” Hiashi told him. 

_ “I know, uncle.” _   From here, the walls of the Hyuuga estate sighed. Patiently, they waited and pondered what choice Neji would make. Thinking was just a thing to do to pass time. They knew and Neji knew what choice he had to make. Neji finally met his uncle’s gaze. He was bedridden behind a thick veil. Sitting by his uncle’s side were his cousins. 

It was the only choice he could make. It was the only thing he could do and everyone knew it. Neji felt a pang riddle his heart. Before he could even say anything, chains manifested and coiled in his heart. It appeared in this moment to prevent him from ever journeying in anything outside. This was merely a fraction of his destiny, to fulfill his dreams. And as for Tenten, as for her, because fate did not allow it, he must forfeit his brief ownership of her. 

“Please give me one day and one night to settle my outlying affairs,” this was all Neji asked. 

Hiashi turned his head to him and Neji caught a glimpse of a faint nod, “Granted.” 

He could hear his cousin’s sniffles as he left his grandfather’s side. There was nothing more to say. There was no other choice to choose in order to keep everyone happy. 

Neji was escorted out of his uncle’s place to a temporary home, his temporary home. All of his belongings were moved to a modest home within the estate. From this point on, he truly was no longer the head family member who resided outside of the Hyuuga estate. Neji followed the woman five footsteps away as his eyes scaled the tall walls. It’ll never be easy to make it out of this labyrinth like before. Furthermore, it’ll never be easy for him to find her anymore.

.

.

It was the evening when Neji exited out from the Nara library with the Book of the Deva Path. He ought to get the book earlier but needed to bathe thoroughly after failing to do so when he returned from the mission. Neji took this opportunity to seek Tenten. There were so many things they’ve promised to do but never did. There were so many promises he’s failed to keep. Neji slowly walked to her apartment. He resented himself for tacking on promises after promises. 

Neji knocked on her door just as the sun dipped below the horizon. When the door opened, he was met with her beautiful amber eyes. “Neji,” she called his name. 

It pained him beyond words to see her smiling for him. Neji couldn’t do anything but watch as she opened the door wider and leaned on the door sill. “Anything keeping you busy tomorrow?” he asked as best as he could. 

Tenten shrugged and pointed to the pieces of the instrument, “I’m putting it back together. I’ll finish it by tomorrow and give it back to you. Why do you ask?” 

Her carefree nature never ceased to rub into him. The mere exchange of words with her had already begun to crack down on his stoic demeanor. Why couldn’t she be there when he woke up? Maybe that way, it would’ve been easier to salvage his demise to be locked up in the birdcage. 

“Let’s meet up tomorrow,” Neji gave her a simper, “just you and me.” 

She looked at him in with surprise before she settled with another grin. “At the usual place?” 

“Yes, at the usual place.” Their usual place has changed. It used to be the bench by the dango shop, but the destination’s changed. “Is dawn fine with you?” 

“I’ll be there before dawn.” 

Neji gave a short chuckle, “Alright then, goodnight.” 

“Goodnight,” Tenten watched him leave her sight. He’d never ask anything of this sort out of the blue, especially toward the end of the day. She wondered what was going through his mind. 


	52. Moonless Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The night before meeting Tenten, Neji allocated the time within that frame to amend his addendum. Hinata visits him to give Hanabi's trinket to him.

Upon returning home, Neji sandwiched the book under his belongings. While he was gone, someone, presumably a servant had tidied his items onto a shelf he didn’t own. Neji hid the book under all the other Head clan member taijutsu notebooks. He didn’t want to think about the lengths of his powers with the Tenseigan. Having these powers did not equate to the feeling of powerlessness on an individual level. He kneeled down and pushed the stacks of books to the wall and sat there for just a few minutes. In the pursuit of his dreams, his body became hollow. Emptiness, he let the feeling dwell within his being. The struggle for what he wanted versus what others wanted for him had ended tonight. Yet, all that Neji could do was sit alone in the darkness of his unfamiliar temporary home. All that he could do was to give up his power of choice. For the greater good of his clan, for the future of it, for the masses, for those who couldn’t fight against the system, the execution of it all laid within his hands tonight. 

His eyes rolled seamlessly around the structures of his room. For an Autumn night, tonight seemed colder than before. Tonight, it was unbearable to lay on the ground. Neji turned around and scooted to the closed door. He opened it, wanting to gain some sort of air to ease his thoughts.

Air within the estate was different from the outside. Air felt congested, filtered, and monitored to perfection. Only the greatest quality of air surrounded the estate. Of course, Neji merely thought as so; he felt it was so. For a fleeting moment, he let the frame of the door box him in this scene. Like a painting on canvas, he sat still, idle, peering from the frame to the beholder of the eyes. He couldn’t see the sky above him but the moonlight beamed to his court. Internally, he deduced that there was no moon tonight. Fate had its way with him. The moon, whose bright white orb cast down onto his every move, no longer needed to watch over him anymore. He had finally walked into the path that destiny wanted. He did not stray from the path anymore. The moon’s purpose was done, its unsaid duty was over with. 

Neji couldn’t escape the reality set before him. His dream, as it was now attained, felt surreal to him. He let his mind open, rusting the screw that barred it shut. For a bleak moment, he believed the night would belong to him. To have one full night to let his mind feast on this decision to pursue the written destiny stroked by the fingers of the deities, he couldn’t say he wanted it because he needed it. Every minute, every second was precious to think it thoroughly. He hadn’t even a sparing split of a second to deny his uncle’s only inquiry. But before he could claim the night for himself, a pair of footsteps approached the gate. Neji’s eyes darted to the figure in a slow fashion. It was his cousin, “Hinata.”

“Brother,” she timidly spoke with a hoarse throat. Along with her, she brought the trinket: Hanabi’s trinket. “I came to give you this.”

Her footsteps implicated hesitance and guilt. Both her hands held out the tiny item to him. Neji stared at the ornament; its tassels swayed nonchalantly, “Thank you.” He clenched the trinket from the tassels with his thumb and fingers, evidently displaying his disapproval with the turn of events.

Instead of leaving, as he expected her to, Hinata sat down onto the engawa. She did not beckon him to join her, for he still sat behind the frame of the door. “Brother, I’m sorry for being inadequate. Had I become stronger, none of this would have happened.”

“It was bound to happen anyway,” his tone was devoid of emotion. There was no life in him to bring forth any sort of meaning to what he said. 

“For being selfish, I’ve caused you great anguish.”

“It’s not your fault, Hinata.”

Hinata turned a shoulder to meet his eyes. His eyes were never on her. They weren’t on anything in particular; they just looked outward towards the night. Even his slight grasp of the meaningful trinket had so much meaning. Hinata knew her cousin didn’t want the title nor the trinket. The tassels from which he mildly clung had slipped from his fingers. He held nothing. 

“It is partly my fault because it stemmed from my shortcoming,” she spoke. His eyes never lifted higher than the midline of his irises. It was as if he was half asleep, but Hinata knew it wasn’t so. “Had I been more competent, you, right now, would’ve been happily married with-”

“But you’re not,” his words snaked from his mouth with a slight filter, “nothing can be changed now. You won’t change. You won’t give up Uzumaki Naruto. You’re merely telling me what you feel to me, over your shortcomings, your inefficiency to change, and the prospects to a future I cannot have.” Neji peered to Hinata’s gaze. Relentlessly, he stared her down for a few seconds, “Your words, however meaningful, they mean nothing to me. It doesn’t benefit me, it doesn’t do anything, really.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You’re sorry.”

A sounding silence broke their awkward conversation. Hinata was prompted by that silence to leave. In her years trying to communicate her feelings effectively, she had never found the correct words to say. From the time when she misinterpreted her cousin’s intimate exchange of words with Tenten for a suicidal promise to  _ this _ , this malformed conjuring of misaligned spoken words, she had never been a good communicator. She left her cousin’s temporary home.  _ They were words of comfort _ . But as it came out, she was merely plastering her vast freedom over him. 

Neji didn’t watch his cousin go. He had no urge to do so. Instead of forgiving her, he merely repeated her apology. The thought of forgiving crossed his mind once but it was so fleeting and filled with animosity that he couldn’t say it. But with time, Neji knew that he would be able to forgive her just as easily as she apologized to him. It was only that now wasn’t the right time to say it. He blinked, lowering his gaze to the dullen trinket Hanabi always wore. 

The clan’s insignia was stamped onto the silver metal. It was an item of indication of status and power. Wearing it so openly would only be for the first few years of attaining the title of the Heir or Heiress. Neji thumbed the bright yellow golden tassel and then moved onto the knot. Its intricate thread was indicative of its own maze. Filled with enchanting charms of prosperity, longevity, and eternity, he found it unsuitable for him. To live to eternity within the towering white walls of the Hyuuga estate would be equal to never living at all. The world out there was vast and endless. He didn’t want to become a frog in a well after seeing what the world outside of that well had to offer. 

To him, it offered the happiness he’d lost as a child. Neji’s mind pivoted to Tenten. She was his happiness. And then came the addendum that was never meant to be heard. Neji sighed, shutting the door closed. He didn’t do anything else but sit in silence in the dark. 

The prospects of marriage, no matter how coveted it was, he would have to hurdle past all traditions for her. And for that, Neji was determined to marry Tenten. If he had to pester and beg on his knees to have her as his wife, he’d do it. Without fail, without relinquishing his status as a head member, without risking the totem of nobility, he’d break his clan’s marriage customs with his own marriage. Neji believed that was how he’d go about changing his clan on his own terms, but it was all just wishful thinking. The title of the Heir now held him back from challenging the traditions. He had to now approach his marriage differently. 

Head members must marry within the clan; it was tradition to do so. Its only exception were head member women who were free to marry outside the clan if they so choose to deviate from it. However, doing so would cast them out of their own lineage, a situation that would disbar their high status as a civilian in Konoha. As for men, men who were part of the head family, they’d no choice but to follow traditions. From the beginning, Neji believed he’d be able to marry whomever he chose because he was a branch member. And prior to yesterday, his prospects of marrying her was still high because he was still known as a branch member who rose in status to become a head member. Anyone outside of the clan only knew that the sole reason as to why he was raised in position was because of his merits in the War. They did not know that there were more implications attached to it. 

And just a couple of days ago, he’d returned from a convoy that ensured an era of peace. He knew that peace was attainable, tangible even. It was so close to being reached that he believed he’d be able to marry her. And so, without a second to waste, he wanted to propose an addendum to their situation. Neji wanted it to change, he wanted them to change. No more did they need to charade from that point on. No more did they need to be at a futile distance. No, Neji knew that distance, that six steps distance from one another was foolish. However, he knew why she wanted to keep it that way. The shrine keeper’s words weren’t all too truthful. She boasted about distance and remaining far from one another in order for each other to live. Yet, what she failed to say was that they must stop their love for that time being. That distance would be nullified if they yearned too earnestly. Regardless of it now, he wasn’t going to charade anymore. He wasn’t doing to hold himself back anymore. 

The addendum that he wanted to propose yesterday needed to be amended at the last second. He couldn’t say that he wanted to marry her this instant because he knew he couldn’t. To have her as his wife, as the Heir’s wife would also cage her to his clan. All the implications of the curse mark, childbirth and whatnot, they all came with the identity of marriage. He wanted to change that first. Neji surmised that the most peaceful way to go about changing the clan, its customs, and traditions were to fully abide by his duties. 

He wasn’t a likely candidate to be the Heir in the first place. Even though no one from the head members objected to it now, Neji still knew that there were individuals who brewed hatred for him. They sought to witness his failures as the Heir. And from there on, they would bend him to their needs on the basis that he lacked the ability to execute the duties to perfection. 

To gain Tenten, to have her by his side, he needed to be flawless in taking over for his uncle. In order to sway the head members to give in to him and his quest for change, he needed their respect first. It was the only peaceful way to assure that animosity wouldn’t head her way when she does finally come to live with him. 

“ _ I’ll have to leave you for many years to come. To play my part, to have you, I’ll put an end to whatever we are now. Until then, can we resume where he left off. And for the future we cannot see, I only wish you are standing there in the end. _ ” 

Neji grabbed the trinket and threw it onto the futon. The trinket plunked onto it until silence followed thereafter. He would have to wait longer for her. Neji didn’t know when we would be able to change the tide in his clan, and it worried him more that Tenten might be sent onto missions far beyond her capability. If she were to be injured, he’d never be able to move on. 

Finalizing the night, the draft blew the hollow body. After all, he was a mere vessel. 


	53. Team Gai

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tenten suggests Neji and she spends his last day with Lee and Gai. After dinner, Neji tells the other two that he won't be a shinobi anymore.   
> After Neji leaves, Gai prompts Tenten to stay. He has a few words to say.

Tenten waited by their former training grounds, the entrance of the village gates. The morning dew collected on the tree branches above her head. From afar she spotted him approaching her. “Are you ready to spar?” She supposed this was the only reason he asked her to meet here. 

Neji shook his head no, “Let’s go for a walk.”

A walk. It was simply a walk. A slow and casual walk out of the village back to the overgrown training fields they were allotted. Tenten walked the safe distance beside him. He wouldn’t speak for a long time and she’d only look onwards at the places filled with their memories. That tree was where they both climbed for the first time. Those marks were when she was practicing her aim. And these fields, these fields were filled with the days that didn’t have him. Nostalgia rushed through her veins. She remembered the platonic traces of her feelings here the most. 

Sadness overcame her. Tenten knew why he was here. She knew why he purposefully asked her out to be here. She knew, and everyone knew the inevitable. Internal clan affairs would never make it out to the general public, but through Hanabi, to Hinata, to Naruto, to Sakura, and finally to herself, she learned that, after his visit yesterday, he had chosen to pursue his dream. There was no more of a reason than that to allocate his last day walking amongst the common folk with her. 

Tenten turned to Neji. Asking if they were here to spar was just a fluke, but she really did think, if not for a mere second, that he might just wanted to spar. Alas, this would be the end of their charades. There would be no more reason to lie that the eyes saw him as a friend. For today, he was her’s. 

“Neji.”

A lone word halted him from walking. The sun rose up brightly, but he was filled with darkness. Neji turned to her and smiled. “What is it?”

“You don’t have to say anything. From this point onwards, always remember that I will keep my words,” Tenten told him. “I’ll remember to watch you soar from the ground. You don’t have to fear that I’ll be gone once you take flight. I’m always yours.”

“Tenten-”

“I can wait until the day peace comes to meet you at the bridge that separates us, Neji,” Tenten gave him a warm smile. “I’ll be patient until that day. And when that day comes, I’ll run to you. I’ll always run to you.”

Neji closed his eyes, he was distressed. “Perhaps it is for the better that this becomes our separation. It may guarantee our longevity until that day comes.” He looked to her once more. “Can I hug you?”

Tenten’s eyes searched for an answer. With each possibility of viable answers, she weighed the consequences. Regardless, she wanted to hold him too. Tenten walked the six steps it took to come into his arms. She hugged him as tightly as she could. There would be a long journey to trek and they both must trek it alone. 

Tenten recalled all of those missions he took on. For months on end, he’d be gone. And so to watch over him, she’d spend every hour she could spare in her trances to watch over him. Now that her supernatural powers were lost in the search for him, she knew it’ll be more lonely on this path to peace. “If your heart changes, if it falters, it will be okay,” Tenten whispered to him. “In my heart, there is only you. Out here, there is no one but you.” Tenten nuzzled as he shifted his arm to rest on shoulders. “Hyuuga women are beautiful, and it is okay for you to do what you must. But always remember me, that’s all I ask.”

He couldn’t keep any of those small promises until now. Neji counted them in his head as he held onto her longer than the heavens allowed. It’ll have to wait, his promise to return her care for her. It’ll have to wait, on the day, when he could no longer wait for her to hold out her hands to him, when he becomes confident that they have a solid insurmountable amount of affection for one another, he would finally take her hand into his’ and never let go. No matter how long he had to wait, he would always be bound to her. 

“There’s no one in my eyes but you, Tenten,” Neji pecked her forehead and closed his eyes. He didn’t have the courage to move that kiss to her lips. “There is no other woman in my heart but you and it’ll never change.”

Tenten pulled back and looked into his eyes. Today might be the last day that she saw him, no, she knew it was the last day she'd be with him. Tenten wanted to share his last day with Lee and Gai-sensed. She felt it was only right to do so, “Don’t you think it’s time to re-stock Gai-sensei’s fridge?” Neji smiled weakly. It was a day filled with sorrow but she didn’t want to end it like that. “Hm?” she urged. Tenten squashed his cheeks with both her hands and then draped them over his shoulders, pulling him from the nape of his neck to her. “We should have fun, all of us together.”

Neji bit his lower lip to hide his wide smile. He ultimately gave in, “I’d like that.”

“You've got a curfew today?” It was an odd question to ask from her cell member. But seeing as though he won’t be able to visit her tomorrow or the day after, she needed to ask. 

“Midnight.”

.

.

The atmosphere in the room was stricken with an underwhelming amount of tension as Lee set down the last dish onto the table. It was underwhelming because they didn’t know, Lee and their teacher didn’t know that this would be the last time they’d be together as one, as Team Gai.

Tenten slurped the chewy soba noodles in between her runny nose. If not for Lee’s mishap and spilling a heavy amount of chili into her bowl, he would’ve been as white as porcelain. She didn’t want to be the one to bring the issue to the table. The one who was leaving Team Gai wasn’t her. Tenten wondered when Neji would bring it up. She picked up pickled radish and placed it into her mouth. She wished they picked up milk at the market. 

“Why do I have a feeling that something bad will come with this bright day?” Gai asked the others. He glanced at his two students sitting across from him. Their demeanor was downcast as if there was a sadness they weren’t willing to explain. 

As soon as the table cleared, Lee straightened up in his seat beside his teacher. He examined his friends’ postures as if there were any fault in that. There weren’t with the exception of their sagging shoulders. Lee clasped his hands tightly. He knew it was all too good and smooth of a day. There were unforeseen consequences he wasn’t told of. Their solemn faces illuminated a bad vibe and Lee didn’t like it. The night had yet to end, but the side effects of euphoria he experienced with them all as Team Gai again started to creep up to his stomach. 

“Just say it, Neji,” Lee pressed. “There’s no use to hide it.”

Tenten was in her own mind. She didn’t want to think about Neji’s departure just yet. To hear from his mouth that he’d be leaving for the second time was inevitable, but she likened to cast herself out of that situation. Thus, Tenten quickly reminisced the long years she was with them all. “Team Gai” was another name she carried as her own. Nameless as she once was, to be owned under someone else’s name was the acceptance she hadn’t think she needed. “Team Gai” won’t be the same with just two active members. It almost wouldn’t suffice with just three students without their teacher. The team bore the teacher’s name. His name was the boastful aspect that they lived up to lift. It is the honor of carrying their teacher’s name that made Team Gai, “Team Gai”. With just her and Lee, they’d never create the respect that their teacher deserved. 

It was precisely why Team Gai wouldn’t survive without Neji. With time, as the team became more established, more comfortable with one another, Neji became the shining star that turned heads toward Team Gai’s direction. 

A team that was two thirds unspecial in every aspect would never uphold their teacher’s glory. Lee walked in their teacher’s steps, mimicking every stride, even down to his gait. He’ll shrine as bright as the blue star except that his fire would be greener and more explosive. There would be more sparks and more vigor floating in the space of time next to the glowing blue orb. And she’ll just be taking space beside them with whatever heat she had in her star. But Tenten didn’t want to go that route, she didn’t want to end the thought of her team back onto herself. 

And so it returned back to the thought of Neji as the first backbone of Team Gai. With their teacher ridden with an injury that took away his livelihood, it became the first domino that got toppled. Next. Well, next. Truthfully, Tenten didn’t know what came after that. Was she the second one to topple after that? Was it Lee? It could never be Neji, though. 

Tenten decided that the next domino to crash and fall was Lee. He fell because his rising and burning hot star had lost its fierce glowing green passion. Lee fell over because he treasured his muse more than the shinobi way. Tenten recalled the moment Lee discovered Gai-sensei’s wheel bound life, he was determined to retire his shinobi life to care for his teacher. The decision would only be made by him and it was evident now that Lee ultimately chose to do both. His domino fell, but it fell with acceleration. It accepted it’s fall and its fall didn’t even hit the next domino. 

The next domino, Tenten supposed, was herself. The one after that would be Neji. But even though Lee’s fall didn’t hit her, her piece collapsed and teetered ungracefully. Tenten knew that she purposefully flicked her own domino so hard that it flung Neji’s and her’s across the surface. Like this, they both fell ungracefully. And here was where all their problems began. She didn’t want to think about it any further.  _ “Just say it Neji, there’s no use to hide it.” _ Lee’s voice hit her eardrums and shook her back out to the real world. She blinked, sitting at the table with the yellow light bulb over them all. Her eyes flickered toward Lee and it quickly diverted to his clasped hands on the table. This was where Team Gai would part. The original Team Gai, with Lee, him, and her, would only exist in memories now.

“I’m retiring from my shinobi duties,” Neji’s lips barely moved. He let his eyes roll from his teacher to his friend’s scrutinizing gaze. “Hiashi-sama has-”

“I completely understand, Neji,” Gai’s powerful voice shaken Tenten’s hands on her lap. Gai pressed a reassuring smile. “My white lotus has been floating, bearing all blemishes that life gave,” his eyes sternly soften. “With one blow of the wind, all the dust and particles will lift away from you, Neji. Whatever you do from this point on, I can see that it’ll only be bright and fruitful.”

Lee sprung up to his feet, thrusting his chair against the wall, “What are you going to do, Neji? Where are you going?” 

Neji’s eyes tenderly laid upon his friend, his foe, sometimes his rival, but always, his family. A tight curve of the corner of his lips appeared. “I am going to become the head of my clan, Lee.” Suddenly, all the hate in his younger days leaped into his mind. Their childish antics came to him in the last second. “I guess we’ll never be able to test our limits.”

Upon that mentioning, Lee quietly pulled his chair back and sat down. He chortled, recalling the old and distant memory of claiming Neji as his rival. They were good memories, “I suppose we can’t.” 

Tenten became smaller at the table. She used to think that it was cringy when her teacher used the nicknames he gave them in his sentences. From white lotus to pink lotus and red lotus, she’d found them endearing to the ear. 

“But there is one thing we must do, Neji, all three of us,” Lee insisted. Tenten looked up from her focus on the tabletop to Lee. “We have to visit the Land of Wave’s Lake of a Thousand Lotuses.”

“What for?” Neji asked. 

“I’ve found the perfect lotus for you and you must see it, whenever that is.”

“That’s quite trivial, Lee,” Neji stated. “But perhaps one day, when I’m not so busy-”

“Busy?” Lee asked.

Neji nodded, “I’ll visit you and Gai-sensei as much as I can. And I’ll make time for you too,” he turned to Tenten who gave him a reassuring nod. 

“I haven’t even thought ahead,” Lee commented as his eyes tried to piece together what pieces he was searching for, “you will be quite busy with affairs I’m sure.” 

“Indeed,” Neji assured him. His eyes glanced at the time and it prompted him to leave his seat. “I’ll be the first to leave tonight,” he clicked an everlasting picture of his family one last time to his memories. “Goodnight.” Lee walked him out. 

Tenten immediately let her eyes fall on Neji as if on cue. Her body reacted whenever he did something, anything. Even with just a flick of his wrist, he’d catch her attention. Should she go as well? Tenten wanted to be the last one to see him go. 

“My pink lotus, please stay for dessert,” her teacher asked of her. Her head snapped to her teacher and as if she’d been caught stealing an extra piece of food, she nodded feverishly. 

Tenten scooped up a tasteless spoonful of white ice cream into her mouth. Lee placed raspberries on the side for her but she refused politely. “There must be something you wanted to ask me, Gai-sensei.” Her eyelids moved up and she set the spoon down. She’d finished her dessert. 

“My lotus, if you only look ahead to Neji, you’ll never see yourself,” Gai managed to mumble the words he ought to have told her when he found out of her charades with him. “You don’t know how much it hurt to watch my own student’s lifeless body rest on the hospital bed. You’ve got to find strength in yourself, not for Neji, but for you, my lotus.”

She pushed the tiny bowl to the side. Yes, Tenten didn’t know what it felt like, because she wasn’t a teacher and she didn’t have students. “It just occurred to me that all of us have been in the same situation, Gai-sensei, laying on a hospital bed,” Tenten blurted out. “I suppose that is what I need to get stronger-”

Lee raised a brow, “What?”

Tenten turned to him, “To grasp at the edges of life, is what I mean, Lee.” Gai’s expression grimaced but Tenten did not shy from it. “I guess that’s what made Neji and you so strong,” Tenten answered to Lee. “Now that I’ve got a taste of my weaknesses, I can finally work and hone on what I lack,” she tilted her head to him, “don’t you think?”

For some reason, Lee turned his head to his teacher. He wasn’t so sure if he should answer Tenten’s question. Sure she was correct, factually, but not in the microcosm that made it factual.  _ Misguided, misinterpreted. _ That was what he thought. He turned to her once more, seeing that his teacher wasn’t giving him an answer. But upon seeing the hazing smile forcefully growing on her face, seeing how it pained her to try and turn this question into something less hurtful, Lee couldn’t simply tell her that she was wrong. 

“Right!” He pulled the enthusiasm through his conflicting feelings, “why don’t Gai-sensei and I help you?!” Her painful smile brightened to a more honest one. Lee’s heavy heart lightened.

“I didn’t mean that kind of strength, Tenten,” Gai set the tone at the table again. He was ridden with guilt. “I need you to be strong on the inside, my lotus.” Emotional strength was something he had struggled with. Gai was an expressive person, and to be held back from expressing himself would almost tear away what made him so dynamic in the first place. But for his students, Gai knew that Neji and she had an emotional capacity much higher than he and Lee. They were far more adept in their display of certain emotions but it wasn’t about the execution of portraying these feelings out to the world. Gai was worried for his blossom because he knew that between her and Neji, she’d struggle the most to conceal her most intimate emotions. 

Tenten roamed the two corners of her teacher’s table endlessly with her eyes. He was worried for her for all the right reasons because she hadn’t been so great at keeping her pent up emotions away when it came to Neji. Just now, her mind was preoccupied with him leaving the table and ending their night. Tenten met her teacher’s guilty gaze. She wondered why they were guilty, “But I am strong sensei. Inside and out.”

“Tenten-” her teacher wanted to make it clear of his intentions. His blossom, though he called her such a delicate flower, was a force to be reckoned with. Like a blossom, a plum blossom, it falls to the ground with grace. It becomes trampled and meshed in dirt. Yet it still lights the ground up with its pristine color. His student was an adoration he hadn’t expected anyone to pick up from the blackened ground, especially not from the noble fingers of one of his students. “I’ve heard about the quest for peace and how much your fate and happiness depend on it, but it will be a long time until that day comes.” Gai sighed and pressed his lips thinly, “A decade may pass by but nothing will change, I know that Neji will glide through the passage without losing his balance, but I’m afraid that you’ll fall along the way, my pink lotus.”

“Gai-sensei, if you’re worried about that, you needn’t to,” Tenten flashed him a grin, almost replicating a “nice guy” pose. “Life is about waiting for the day when you die, and along the way, you wait at intervals for good things that may come your way. Like waiting for the year-end festivals, when you’ll see someone dear to you get married, or when peace comes. I’ve waited this long only to fail to hold Neji’s hand confidently. Surely, I can wait some more until that day comes, sensei. You don’t have to worry about me, I’ve always remained strong and I will continue to be so.”

Perhaps Gai misjudged his student’s determination. His face soured and then it was blankly wiped off. He smiled to her, “I’ve kept you waiting, my lotus.” Tonight would be the last time he’d see his student on his team registry. It would also be the last time his blooming blossom sitting right before him would see her dearest beloved. “You must’ve something you wanted to relay to Neji, go on now.” 

Tenten rose from her chair, prompting Lee to do so as well. “I’ll see you both tomorrow at our old training grounds, sensei, Lee. It’s overgrown,” she walked to the door. “Goodnight.”


	54. One Day and One Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji returns to Tenten's home to retrieve the instrument. He gives her his addendum.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Smut.  
> Please read at your own discretion.

Feet lighter than feather, Tenten jumped up to the nearest roof to catch up to him. She had no idea which way he took or where he was. But she still had a slight chance of catching up to him if he was still outside of the Hyuuga compounds. The corner of Tenten’s eyes crinkled as she let the moon be her only light. She was desperate, more than ever, more than before to reach him. She knew that this parting would last longer than before. It would be strenuous to endure. Tenten scoured over every path she believed he’d take. He was nowhere to be found.

There was so much more she wanted to say to him. His short words of assurance appeared in her ears, “ _ I’ll make time for you too.” _ It was a lie, she knew him all too well. His promises meant well, but they almost never went smoothly. Tenten’s heart pounded within her ribcage. Her breaths heaved with intense yearning. She wanted to cry. As she stood atop the tallest building nearest to the Hyuuga Estate, she overlooked the destruction that took place where his home was. He wouldn’t be there anymore. Her eyes scanned the rooftops of the highly guarded Hyuuga maze. He was somewhere in there in a place she couldn’t find him.

She’d regret letting go of his sight in this moment, but she already lost him. Tenten slugged her feet up to her set of stairs to her apartment. This place, if she remained unmoving, if she stayed complacent, he’d know where to find her. Her sandals clapped the cemented stairsteps and she turned the corner of the building, finding him leaning his torso on her rails. His arms were crossed and his eyes were closed. Tenten’s heart skipped a beat and she carefully approached the perched man by her door. “Neji.”

“I’ve been waiting for you, Tenten,” his eyelids flicked up like a lit flame.

“I was looking for you,” she confessed. Her feet made it to the platform. Only six more steps to go and she’d meet him under the awning of her home.

Neji pushed himself off the railing, prompting Tenten to take two steps toward him. “Please,” he instructed her to the door, placing his hands to both her shoulders and pulling her forward, “I’ve forgotten my instrument inside.”

It was in these moments that she let her courage cower in his existence. He was gone for the whole of the Summer. And though they don’t celebrate his birthday anymore, she still wanted to tell him a happy birthday. She forgot to tell him before he left. She forgot to tell him how much of a blessing he was to her. She wanted to thank him for being born, but she seemingly forgot. Tenten pulled out her key allowed his hands to slide off her shoulders. “Please wait here,” she cautioned, “or if you prefer to come in?” Tenten glanced back to him as he walked inside right behind her.

“I want to come in.” His hand pulled the doorknob to close the door as Tenten flickered the light switch on.

On the table was the instrument, well assembled. Tenten’s fingers strummed the strings lightly, “I’ve re-tuned them for you.” Her hands reached for it to give it to him. He came here for the instrument and he could have easily waited outside for his property but he entered her home instead. Tenten knew there was more to this fateful meeting than just giving back what was his’. Her hands stopped midway from grabbing the instrument and she turned to him, “What is it, Neji?”

His eyes lingered on her expression. He concluded it right there that she had always been easy to read. If he were to look at her with the same intensity now, he would’ve discovered her feelings for him with just a short glance. Her feelings were always there, they were always there. “I had to amend my addendum, Tenten. Will you hear it?”

“Always,” Tenten took in a deep breath.

She was always available and ready to do anything he asked of her. If he asked her to wake before the break of dawn to help him train, she’d do it despite her body telling her otherwise. “I’ll remember your words today, like I always do, Tenten. So hear what I have to say to us,” she nodded with her sparkling orbs.

Neji stopped letting the universal forces hold him from her anymore. He wouldn’t want to regret not loving her enough before something else happened between them. Abruptly, he let his body move on its own. He captured her lips, moving fervently. All those nights staying up restlessly, he made it known to her with the first kiss. It was rough and scathingly hot. Neji knocked Tenten off balance, making her stumble backward and hitting her back onto a chair. One of his hand ruffled through her kempt hair as the other pressed her mouth to him from the nape of her neck to deepen the kiss. It was partially all that he wanted.

He felt her hands cling onto his yukata with just as much force, binding him to her stronger than the universe’s scrutinizing gaze upon them. Neji pulled away, panting harder than after training. His heart panged to every corner of his chest. He was in a euphoria he hadn’t known existed. Her dark orbs bore directly into his’ as well. She wanted more and he wanted more. “Please wait for me,” he expelled in between his panting.

“I will-”

He smashed his lips to her’s again, cutting off her answer. He knew she would wait for him. He gave her a second kiss. For all those nights restlessly yearning for her touch and her kisses, for all those nights wishing he could explore more than just the curvature of her back or her neck, or how her hands fit in his hands, he let her taste more than just the little shared pecks they’ve been sharing for the past year.

His breaths hitched with every mile his heartbeat ran. He let his feet guide her to her bed. Because she didn’t have a futon for a bed, because her bed was a mattress, he violently pushed her down onto her bed. For all the anger that welled up his body when it came to the conclusion that they’ll have to wait to become husband and wife, he made it known.

But Neji gently cascaded down to her rising chest, as if he was sorry, he hovered over her, his legs beside her thighs and his elbow propping himself over her perspiring skin. He undid her already precarious buns. All that she did was breathe at the same pace as he did. As if they shared the same heart, the same heartbeat, and the same breaths, all that she did was look at him with love, not desire nor lust but love.

“Don’t take too many dangerous mission while you’re out there,” Neji advised. He caught his breath and leaned down to press a warm kiss onto her forehead. “Promise me.”

Tenten’s hands rose to his face. Her fingers spread across his skin to bring his lips down to her’s for a childish peck, “I promise. A thousand promises more for every time you ever think of me.” Tenten searched for something from him. Her eyes searched for the same treble in his eyes. If he felt the same way about their love, he’d kiss her. If not, they’d go no further.

His final sequences of kisses came like the waves that build to surmount a tide so great, it would’ve washed away the land that it touched. Little by little, every chain that held him back broke. Neji reclaimed her lips for the third time. To the way their love stacked on as time went on by, to how tall it had towered, he mimicked it with every kiss until the tower toppled. Neji gave another peck, letting his leaning elbowed hand to tangle in her locks as his other arm wrapped one of her legs around his waist. Instinctively, she let her other leg do the same. He let his fingers stroke her thigh, massaging her firm skin as she clung to him. She was sweet to the taste and his mouth rushed to explore more of her body.

His kisses left her lips and trailed to her jaw; her explicit breaths and frenzied hands raised his libido. Neji licked the nape of her neck and buckled his hips to hers. He made apparent what she was doing to him. Only she could do this to him. Neji was the first to moan, feeling the friction in his groin against hers. He let her passionate hands pull his obi off with vigor. Easily, she pried his yukata off to his elbows before wrapping both her arms over his neck. His hand on her thigh traveled to her feet at the back of his waist. Neji pulled her clasp on him and Tenten immediately set both her legs down onto her mattress. Her feet dangled from the bed.

Neji repositioned himself, settling on one of her thighs against his groin as the arm at which he used to pry her grip on him crept up her cheongsam. Tenten gasped through her teeth and both her hands grabbed her bedding. His fingers lightly danced closer to her sensitivity. Neji glanced at her vulnerability. He’d never seen that sort of expression ever on her face. A smirk appeared on his lips and he leaned down to plant kisses onto her lips again. Precious as she was, he’d never forget every moment of her tonight.

Tenten felt her cheongsam suddenly yanked up to her waist. She tried her best to keep up with his demanding kisses. Before she could even let his tongue mingle with her’s, she felt him grinding onto her thigh. Tenten closed her eyes tightly and tried not to distract herself. Shamefully, she couldn’t return his multiple stimulations. From his undeniably impeccable kisses to his eager, yet shy fingers that just pulled her dress up, she simply didn’t know what to do. She was inexperienced and unsure if she could touch what she should’ve ought to touch from the beginning. Tenten moaned in his mouth, failing to dominate his tongue.

Neji finally heard her muffled moans as her body moved in rhythm to his, writhing her sheets as his hands searched for ways to remove her cheongsam. He was experienced in many things, an expertise at the gentle fist, but not so quite with unbuttoning her shirt. Neji opened his eyes. He left their deliberate kisses and frowned at her. Breathless as she was, she could only look at him.

“Can we really do this?” she asked him, cautiously.

“It doesn’t matter to me, I just want to feel you.”

Tenten purposefully jerked her thigh that he grinded on just a few seconds ago. The heavens were certainly watching but she couldn’t care less anymore. This night would become another grave sin. The punishment would come later as it always did. She gave him a haughty stare, seeing as how he drilled eyed her buttons, “You won’t achieve it if you don’t work for it, Neji,” she mocked him.

Neji scoffed, “Don’t recite Gai-sensei’s lunacy right now,” he scolded her.

Tenten chuckled as her eyes gleamed on his torso and up. Immediately, his fingers began working on the six buttons to her shirt. “You’re beautiful,” her compliment escaped her mouth without a filter. She had wrangled his hair, letting strands fall to the sides of his face, framing symmetry to his body. While she had gotten thinner, he had gained muscles she hadn’t touched. He was more toned than her hands and eyes remembered. With the last button meticulously unbuttoned, Neji shimmied her upper cheongsam down to her waist. He groaned at her. “What?” she asked. Tenten freed her arms from the sleeves and elbowed back onto the bed.

“A sports bra?” he began working on removing the article.

Tenten sat up and let him pry the elastic fabric over her head, “I thought we were going to train this morning.”

Her heart beat erratically now that her upper torso was exposed. It didn’t help any better that his eyes immediately descended onto her breasts. Awe was in his eyes, but, as if upon instinct, her arms hurried to hide them. Her breasts were her own. They couldn’t compare to other kunoichi. Tenten didn’t know why she thought of them right now.

Neji’s cold fingers hastily held her wrists, forbidding her from hiding her body from him. “Why would you even think of such a thing?” he asked her. In all the time that he had known her, he didn’t think her breasts would be this big.

“Because, they’re not as big-” her smaller tone drew her confidence and eyes away from him. “Because men like them bigger.”

His hands left her wrists and they pressed firmly onto her shoulders. “Their perfect for me, Tenten,” Neji carefully pushed her back onto her bed as her eyes met with his’. “They’ll fit perfectly in my hands, that is, if you let me.”

Tenten’s breaths shuddered and her lips were agape. She guided both his hands onto her breasts as the sensation made her slightly arch her back. Even if she did say it with her mouth, telling him to touch her breasts, he’d never touch her unless she engaged. Tenten released her hands and let him judge for himself. Her body was his’, as was his’ to her.

“I’m quite a genius,” Neji announced for the umpteenth time.

She snickered as his hands began to move her breasts, “Why?”

Neji leaned down close to her, “Because they do fit perfectly in my hands.” Tenten chuckled and ran her fingers through his hair before pulling him into another rhythmic series of kisses. Her moans came with more frequency and with more lewd nuances. Neji broke the kiss to find confidence in her. Whatever made her think that she wasn’t enough for him, he wanted to erase it, all of it. “You’re perfect, Tenten, because it’s you.” Her body was sculpted for him, as was his body for her to explore.

His addendum came to her as the moans, the groans, to the inadvertent pain he caused when he tore the remaining of her undergarments off. His addendum came to her as merely the beginning of a book that has yet to be read. The book will take years, perhaps decades to finish, for it was read with time and care. His addendum tends to her requests and his requests, mixed in with the mingling of their shared breaths as he explored her body, as she did his. It came as an unbreakable promise, a bond so strong that even the heavens must only be able to sever by breaking their bodies. Neji’s addendum was to tell her, through all of this sensual love, that it didn’t need to be said how much he loved to love her. He’d give his body to her in any way that he could. Whether it was to protect her or in this way, to profess the lengths of his will over their fate and the conditions needed to maintain that destiny, he’d give his body to her.

Neji thumbed her womanhood, feeling the moistness before breaking their kiss. He leaned back from her, yet still hovered over her. His gaze never left her’s. Tenten squirmed downwards to pull his boxers down. Whatever she did down there, it kept his ears red and his voice lost. He froze, his lips wide agape as she kept her body under him. “S-top, Tenten,” he warned her.

Her eyes were elsewhere from his own. She looked downwards, letting her hands stimulate his member. Tenten breathed deeply, unable to catch on to what he asked of her. And in one swift move, his sensual touch on her womanhood ceased. He swiped her clasp on his throbbing member, causing her to revert her attention back to him. “Hah,” was all she could manage.

Partially clothed with the yukata hanging at his elbows, Neji let his hand brush under her thigh. He then hoisted her leg up before meeting her eyes again. His tip was warmly pressed against her cavity. This would be the last time he silently asks for permission. Tenten gave him a simple nod, extending her arm out to him to have him closer to her. Neji leaned in, expecting to be pulled into another kiss before he took both of their virginity. Instead, Tenten placed a chaste kiss onto his forehead. She faintly remembered the green curse mark that he used to bear.

With one slow thrust, like an uncertain move such as contemplating whether to let his pinky vaguely creep onto her hand, he eased in on the penetration. Without thinking, Neji’s lips found the curve of her neck. From which he was so familiar of its place several kisses ago, he groaned into the coils of her hair before huffing out a moan so unlikely of his nature. He had fully enveloped himself inside of her. His hand gripped her thigh, surely to leave a lasting impression on her skin. His other hand fisted a handful of her bedding. Even with this sensation, he could only think if she was okay.

Tenten scrambled to hold Neji as close to her as possible. Her nails dug into his skin, though they were never long enough to hurt him. She could feel a tear in her womb the moment she let him enter her. Tenten let out a squeak before expelling all of her breath in a soft-heartened moan. She could feel his teeth biting her muscle as her mouth was agape from the pain and the pleasure he gave her.

Neji carefully retracted from her and looked down to where they were attached, “You’re bleeding.” He knew it was expected, the tearing of her hymen that is. It was what was taught back in the academy. Being trained to kill at the age of twelve meant everything else must be learned as well.

“I know, I can feel it, Neji. But I can feel the pleasure too,” she told him. They’ve never left each other’s gazes for longer than a minute or two the whole night. Tenten closed her eyes and she breathed in. She gave him a nod to let him continue and Neji returned to holding one of her thighs as he suspended over her.

His other hands searched for her’s and clasped them tightly when he found them. Slowly, Neji pulled out, feeling the walls of her cave move the blood in his member to his tip. He huffed and then pressed his lips thinly and inhaled. Neji held his breath and thrust into her again, causing Tenten to arch her back. He rested his forehead against the midline of her breast where her sternum was. He closed his eyes and exhaled. Coupled with her seductive breaths, hints, and hazes of moans, he couldn’t continue on with the slow-grained lovemaking.

Neji felt her chest fall back to the bed after arching her back and he drew in a colder breath this time around. He pulled back from the thrust, faster than before, trying to find a rhythm that would suit both of them. When her groans of pains turned to wanton moans, he finally picked up the pace.

Tenten’s bed did not make a noise. If it did, she wouldn’t be able to call herself a shinobi. In the blink of an eye, he had hoisted up both her legs, slightly raising her buttocks from her bed. He now kneeled at her entrance, gently slapping his skin to her’s. Tenten’s heart was going to explode. Between her incoherent clamor, she stole fleeting glances of his disheveled face. He breathed loud enough just for her to hear. His expression, she could only describe it as a pleasurable pain. Tenten’s hands tried to rise to touch his hand, but with what he was doing to her, her arms, her whole body actually, was buzzing with static white noise.

“H-arder, Neji,” his name escaped her mouth as a plead, “please.”

A precious smile came to his lips. “Anything for you,” he breathlessly managed to whisper to her.

Her entire face was red and she was perspiring more than ever. Neji saw her like a ripe fruit covered with dew. He released one of her thighs to brush a sticky coil of her hair from her cheek before changing his rhythm of thrusts. Along with the change came with it a difference in the noises she made. Each moan came with a slight halt. The harder he thrust, the more it became pronounced. And so he quickened his pace, adjoined with the harshness of each thrust, he realized that she was reaching the epitome of her pleasure.

Tenten arched her back, gripping onto Neji’s hand as the built-up titillation was released from her body. Tenten pulled her covers to hide her face and to muffle her climax, though it came as a silent belt of air. She heaved back onto the surface of the bed, discovering that he was still working on their play. Soon, her sensation kicked back in. Tenten hiccupped as Neji pulled himself out of her. He let out his semen onto her inner thigh, careful to not come inside of her.

Neji leaned down and pressed a tiresome kiss to her temple before toppling to the side. She turned to him, equally as exhausted. Tenten tucked his strayed hair behind his ear before resting her hand on his cheek. A night with him wouldn’t suffice nor make up for the several years to come when she won’t see him.

“I gave myself to you,” he whispered to her.

“So did I.”

Neji pressed his palm against her’s and then claimed them, intertwining their fingers before bringing her touch down to rest on the little space between them. “I gave myself to you, for you to remember me while you’re out here, Tenten.” Neji gulped. His throat was dry, “It is the final thing from myself that I can give you, so that when I leave tonight, I’ll never leave at all.”

“You propose an everlasting love with this final act of passion?” Tenten asked him monotonously. He didn’t reply at all but thumb her knuckles. Tenten inched closer to Neji, “I know what you mean, Neji. I just wanted to hear it from your mouth.” She glided to his lips and planted a firm kiss before retracting, “You’ll always be with me, as I will always be with you. Tonight, when you go, you’ll stay here beside me and be with me everywhere I go.” She guided his finger and pressed it to her heart, as she did his’. “Truthfully, persistently, like a bug that cannot be shaken away, you’ll remain here.” Tenten brought his hand to her lips and breathed in his scent. “I’ll await the day in the distant future when you’ll touch me like this. My body is yours, it has always been yours.”

“There will be a day when we meet again, and you’ll ask me why I love you. And when that day comes, instead of giving you uncanny answers, as how your eyes twinkle or how your fingers dance with a blade, I’ll give you an answer so irrefutable that you’ll discard any reasoning as to why you asked me that question in the first place,” Neji’s eyes rested on her wisps of hair clinging onto her cheekbone. “As we grow older, we’ll age, and our love will age. And when we meet again, I’ll have that answer for you, Tenten.” He pulled her into an embrace, “So for now, you’ll have to suffice with my awkward proposal to our love. From my body to your body, from the cadence of your voice to the familiarity of  _ you _ , this is the reason I love you. When that time comes, I’ll be eager to hear why you love me so much.”

Tenten chuckled and snuggled closer to his chest. “I’ll definitely have that answer for you.” She happened to let her eyes roam around her roam, spotting the time displayed on her wall. “But, right now, you have to go home.”

Neji propped up and turned around to look at the time, “You’re right.” Tenten sat up And pulled her cheongsam up her torso. She sleeved her arms, buttoning only one button before scooting off the bed to help him regain his dignity. Neji climbed off her bed and bit his lower lip. He couldn’t believe that time was this fleeting whenever he was with her. He hurried to reassemble his yukata. It was 11:49 pm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't normally write sexual themes, which is why it came so late into the story.  
> At this point in the story, it is inevitable to time skip. Just a heads up. Thank you.


	55. Sighs of the White Walls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Hiashi's death, Neji visits his cousin. Hanabi tries to convince him to let her be his assistant.

Hiashi wouldn’t live to see another week. Neji paced the wooden halls right back into his study room. He had just returned from his uncle’s home. Hiashi was dead by nightfall but at least,  _ “At least, you’ve got to see me at the coronation, uncle.” _ He sat down, followed by a teen servant, a branch member of fifteen years of age who was assigned to be his assistant. His name was Sora. Hiashi’s funeral processions needed to be undergone right away. Neji wished for the guidance from his uncle at this moment. Under the scrutiny of the elders and the hateful eyes of the head members, he was a man judged unfit for the duties that would lay ahead. 

He was a bad omen. Neji brushed past several head members as he made his way to the diplomacy. He was a bad omen for burying his uncle the very next day after his coronation. Rumors that spread to taint his judgments entered the ears that loathed his rise to the throne of the Heir. A week had passed since his uncle’s passing. It was a bad omen to mourn for three days. Extend it for a week or even a year, Neji knew whatever he did wouldn’t be enough. The clan did not approve of him to be the heir. Though they had no say in who was able to have the title, they dearly loved to display their judgments of the embarrassing situation, of having a former branch member lead the clan openly. The cold glares didn’t faze him much, Neji was used to it from childhood. They were trivial matters and what mattered more was the well-being of his cousins coping with their father’s death. 

The week after his uncle’s death, Neji visited his cousins. For a moment, the atmosphere felt normal, as if his uncle was still here. Even his scent was here. But upon seeing the somber expression on Hanabi’s face, Neji was reminded why he came here. He walked through the gate, letting his little cousin guide him to the tea room where his first and final meal with his uncle was. “I’ll fetch for Hinata,” Hanabi tiredly told him. 

There was no need to do so. Hinata was already by the door, “Brother,” she weakly called to him, “thank you for visiting.”

Neji gave her a feeble smile. He came to chat, to make sure they were coping well. Hanabi left him and Hinata alone to prepare for tea. For five minutes, Hanabi would be gone. Hinata sat across him and they let a silent minute pass by. 

“I’m sorry for not coming sooner,” Neji told her. “If I managed my time well-”

“No, brother,” Hinata interrupted him. She glanced at his weary self. “Don’t apologize.” Her brother’s shoulders may look strong and sturdy, but everything else, even his body language boldly stated otherwise. “I’m sure you’ll find time for us, but your priorities are my priorities too. The clan needs to reform, and because this is what we’re fighting for because it is what you’re fighting to change, it will be difficult to see us.” She made note of his hakama, understanding that if not for him being born, and if Hanabi was never born, she’d be the one wearing it instead. “Your hakama is quite wrinkled,” she changed the subject.

Neji frowned, “It is a sign of hard work.” 

“Indeed.” With time, her father’s passing would only a memory. 

“I don’t know how uncle did it, it seemed as though he had so much time to spend at home but I can’t even measure a pinky worth of his free time,” Neji exclaimed. He earned her a little chuckle. 

Hinata’s heart lightened just a bit as Hanabi returned with chrysanthemum tea. “Father’s time management is far more efficient than you.”

Hanabi sat down and Hinata poured the tea into the porcelain cup, “You wanna know how father had so much time,” she announced.

Neji raised a brow as he accepted the cup from Hinata, “How?”

Hanabi eyed the young boy standing by the gate, “He made his assistant look over every document, even down to writing every official document.”

“You’re kidding?” Neji’s smile grew as the air within the room freshened up. He put the cup to his lips.

“Nope,” Hanabi stated, “I was his assistant.”

Hinata laughed and set the teapot down. “No wonder you’re glued to father’s side.”

“You didn’t know?” Neji asked in astonishment.

She shook her head no, “Hanabi isn’t supposed to tell me about internal clan affairs.”

“Well, it’s obvious isn’t it?” Hanabi grinned as she set her teacup down after a slight sip. “I thought ninja were supposed to be keen on these aspects.”

“Internal clan affairs, huh,” Neji murmured, catching Hanabi’s attention. 

Hanabi glanced at him, “Say, brother Neji, do you happen to need another pair of hands while you’re at it?”

“Hm?” Neji was confused. “No, I have Sora.” Hanabi glared at him. “What.”

“I can do much better than Sora, I mean, just look at him!” she pointed at the young boy. “He may be three years older than me, but he doesn’t know how to do anything.”

“That’s because I don’t want him to do anything,” Neji replied.

“What?” Hanabi was flabbergasted. “Why? You should be walking around and have plenty of time to be with friends-”

“It’s because he shouldn’t have to, Hanabi,” Neji answered her. “I gave him the choice to choose, and he chose to stay. Sora is a good person, but I shouldn’t have to depend on him to get things done.”

Hinata quietly eyed Hanabi. Her sister had been eager for Neji to visit purely to ask him to have her as his assistant. Day by day, she’d watch as her sister impatiently wait for him to come. Just minutes ago before Neji’s arrival, Hanabi’s habit of poking her finger through the paper window was going to puncture her own door. She knew that her sister needed a viable distraction from losing their father. Perhaps returning to being the Heir’s assistant was the best choice for Hanabi. “Brother, Hanabi will be able to help you familiarize with documentation as well as run errands on your behalf-”

“She’s still ill, Hinata.”

“I’m fine!” Hanabi belted with enthusiasm. “The work doesn’t take a toll on me, brother.”

Neji refused to do so. Hanabi should never be caged with him. “The work doesn’t take a toll on me either, Hanabi.” Hinata winced, knowing it wasn’t true. Neji pressed his lips thinly, “You should stay here and make sure Naruto doesn’t come too often.”

Hanabi scoffed and crossed her arms defensively, “Naruto comes every day-”

“Neji nii-san,” Hinata cut her off. If Neji knew what Naruto and she does daily, he’d make sure the blonde man never step foot into the compound. Hinata kneaded her nail onto her palm, picking up Naruto’s habit. “You’ve become more pale and thinner than when you weren’t the Heir. It is no secret that bearing the burden that comes with the title has disheveled you. I still need you to be strong to lead the clan, brother. If Tenten sees you in your situation, she’d hack me for not taking care of you.”

Neji’s eyes squinted at her, not for what she was saying, but for what Hanabi implied when she mentioned Naruto. It quickly dawned on him that hearing Tenten’s name didn’t hurt him as much as it used to. He let Hinata’s words run through his mind for a second time, “Burdened?”

Hinata nodded, “You’re burdened. Father has only gone to the diplomacy once or twice this year, but within the span of a week, you’ve already attended it three times. What’s going on?”

“It’s nothing you have to be concerned about,” Neji replied. 

“Coupled with the tiny meetings grandfather wedge in between your free time-”

“Who told you about these meetings?” Neji asked.

Hinata’s eyes veered toward Hanabi, “She’s been pestering Sora.”

Neji leaned over and peered to the young boy standing by the gate, “So that’s why he won’t come in.”

Neji chuckled and Hinata tried to keep her laugh from bursting out. She was serious about having Hanabi by his side. “Nii-san, it’ll be a good distraction-”

“Brother Neji, I was born to do this,” Hanabi assured him. “I can’t imagine myself doing anything out there. But here, I can be useful.”

Neji sighed in defeat. “I suppose you’re right, the both of you.” Anyone could see his struggle to maintain a sense of control over the clan and tackle outside problems that were beginning to pile at his table. “But that doesn’t mean you’re taking over Sora’s title.”

“I won’t,” Hanabi gleefully responded. 

“Don’t hoard errands I give you.”

“I won’t.”

Neji’s mouth soured and he scrutinized Hanabi’s eager responses, “And be nice to Sora.”

Hanabi smacked her lips and rolled her eyes, “I’ll try.” She’ll try, she promised.

.

.

Neji led Hanabi through the intrinsic maze that was the "fortress". Because Neji wasn't married, it meant that Hanabi would have to live with him the Hyuuga fortress instead of a private home. He deemed that way because there really was no other way he saw it. The fortress consisted of several connecting ground leveled houses. They all connected to the bedchamber where Neji resided in the middle, though if seen in the bird’s view, no one would know. If he wasn't paying attention, he'd get lost in his own home. There were four main halls that branched into smaller wings where all of his necessities were. There was where his food was prepared, where his articles of clothing were washed, where people tended to his needs; they were all within reach. 

Furthermore, they were all done by branch members. It was one of the reasons as to why Neji had gotten as thin as he did. Where his cheekbones became more prominent, his collarbones protruded inadvertently, or to how his once healthily plump fingers now began to spit bony joints, this was a reason why he had gotten so frail. Neji rarely had the appetite to eat. He rarely had the time to hone his skills, to train with others if they could spare the time, nor to sleep the correct amount of hours required to function properly. Neji didn’t want to exhaust the branch members, because he was still the branch member that they grew up with. 

The purpose of its design and its use was to house the newly appointed Heir or Heiress. The fortress was rarely used because marriage was important to sustaining the lineage. By the time an Heir or Heiress was selected for the coronation, he or she would’ve been married. But for Neji, because he was of marriageable age but unwedded, he had to remain in the fortress until he found a suitable maiden. Only then could he receive his own private home. Its design was formulated to make it more difficult for intruders to find where the young heir or heiress resided. With many watchful eyes within the fortress, if danger ever came, it would be known before it reached the bedchambers. 

If Hanabi were to be the heiress, she'd be put here as well. The moment she becomes of marriageable age at eighteen and does actually get married, she'd be granted her own private home and courtyard. Neji couldn’t wait for that day to come. "Your chambers are in this wing," Neji announced to Hanabi. Sora followed closely behind. "Sora, please guide her to her room."

"Yes, Neji-sama," the young boy replied. Sora turned to Hanabi, "this way, Hanabi-sama."

Neji let his mind drop as he trudged back to his study room. Hanabi would need time to familiarize herself with the new living quarters and he still had plenty to do. 

Hanabi let Sora guide her to her room, "Neji-sama, huh?" she whispered. She hadn't heard anyone refer to her cousin like that. 


	56. The Red Lotus in Shuhong Blooms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tenten recalls the first time Lee met his significant other.

Neji was gone for a full year. Tenten suspected it would be like this: his presence ceased to exist the moment he left her door. Even though their goodbyes on that night seemed sufficient, it never felt sufficient. She knew this would happen. Without a word of him, any glances of him, and deprived of him, all that she could do was keep what she remembered of him in her heart. Tenten rolled up her sleeves and stood up. 

Perhaps Gai-sensed was right about her having a harder time coping with their separation. Though she knew it would only be temporary, Tenten couldn’t help but believe that it would be forever. The days grew a little dimmer with every passing week. The festivals she could’ve gone with him, she spent it with a few of her friends. For their sake, she remained happy. But in times that she was alone, the sore that he wasn’t presently beside her grew and grew. 

What truly awoke her from the initial depression was when Lee somehow took a liking to a commoner. Tenten was delighted upon finding it out. It snapped her back to the friend she was supposed to be to him. Her old traits, her caring essence, her bright composure, the things that made her herself, they all returned and they were there to stay.  _ In the end, I’ll get to see you. So while we’re on this path, let’s try to enjoy the things around us _ . 

Lee and she were in a brawl out in their old training grounds. With the shinobi ban lifted, they took this time to destroy their field like they once did. 

A good month had passed since her departure with Neji. However, if he was there to witness the beginning of Lee’s blooming youth, he’d probably never let the idiot’s aloofness go unquestioned. 

It all began on a chilly November morning when she accompanied Lee on his laps around the perimeter of their village. It was their 75th time passing by their team’s field when they both spotted a peculiar girl cautiously eyeing their field. Lee halted his run and approached the girl from behind, scaring her to death. “Hey, miss!”

The girl turned around with a frightened expression. Tenten leaned to the side and waved at the girl, “What are you doing here?” she asked the girl, “You know how dangerous it can get when shinobi spar.” Tenten raised a brow at the girl’s unresponsiveness. Surely, she was quite young to be out here alone on her own. “How old are you? Are you lost?”

Lee’s brows furrowed in concern, “We can lead you back to the village if-”

“I’m seventeen, Miss Tenten.”

Tenten was taken aback and so was Lee. The girl’s voice was mild; she was very soft-spoken. “What’s your name?” Tenten asked. 

“Mitsuha, Kano Mitsuha.”

Lee glanced at Tenten and then back at the young girl. Mitsuha’s attire suggested that she was not just any commoner, but a farmer. “You’re a farmer, right?”

Mitsuha nodded, “Yes, Lee-San. This is my first time coming out of the village since the war to check on my family’s farm plot. My family’s old path to our farm is blocked by fallen trees and I decided to go through your training fields but I was unsure if it is safe.”

Lee laughed and Tenten smiled at the young woman. She may be seventeen, but she looked younger than that. “Well, we can help clear your path if you lead us, Mitsuha,” Tenten suggested. 

Without another word to exchange, Mitsuha led them to a path closer to the village gates. When it was revealed that the tree wasn’t an ordinary tree, Tenten almost snorted. Tenten slapped Lee’s back urging him to approach the tree. “I’m not lifting anything today,” she told him. 

“But it can be training,” Lee suggested. 

“I’ll sit this one out,” she told him. 

Lee frowned at her and turned back to face the tree. The trunk was twice his size and its length was far too long to measure. Now he knew why Mitsuha ultimately decided to take on their field.  For ten amusing minutes, he struggled to make the tree budge. And for those ten minutes, Tenten conversed with Mitsuha, “-so that they’ll bloom around summer.” 

“I see,” Tenten replied. 

“HUAK!” 

“Lee, no!” Tenten sped to him and snapped him out from opening his first gate. “It’s a damn tree, Lee!” 

“I will not be defeated by a tree!” Lee announced. Tenten tried to bind his elbows to no avail.

“Lee-San,” Mitsuha calmly walked to him and handed out her handkerchief to him. 

Lee stared at her, almost stunned by the kind gesture, “U-uh,” he stuttered, “thank you, Mitsuha-chan.” He didn’t know what to do with the gift. Tenten blinked at his idiocy. 

Before Tenten could say anything, Mitsuha reclaimed the handkerchief and proceeded to dab the perspiration from Lee’s forehead and temple, “If you don’t mind, I’d like to use your training field as my path, for the time being, Lee-San, Tenten-San.” 

“Of course,” Tenten replied. 

Lee was astonished by the common girl’s sweet gesture. As she held out his hand and placed her handkerchief onto his palm, his cheeks redden. 

“We should get going, Lee-San, Tenten-San,” Mitsuha said as she began to walk back to the main path. 

Tenten felt a smile grow on her face, “Well, you heard her, Lee.” 

Lee awoke from his trance. For a split second, he forgot how to walk or breathe. He looked down to the handkerchief, feeling endearment from Mitsuha’s gesture. “Tenten, I think I have a crush.” 

Tenten pushed him forward to get him moving after Mitsuha, “Then get going, Lee.” She watched as her friend paced after the commoner. She wondered if she should worry for him because he was so clueless sometimes. But love, it was something two did alone. She watched as he caught up to her. His frame towered over Mitsuha’s as they walked side by side. Tenten was gleeful for her friend. As chilly as the morning was, as long as there was comfort in her heart, she’d surely be able to endure the daunting separation between her and Neji. If more good things happened, it'll be easier to bear being alone. 

Tenten stepped out of her home. With the evening settling, Lee must be coming back from his date with Mitsuha. Tenten closed her door and headed to Shikamaru’s home. 


	57. The Heart Speaks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shikamaru leaves Konoha to Suna to bring Temari back home for their wedding. He leaves Ino in charge of taking care of his new home until he gets back.   
> Sakura becomes suspicious of Ino and Sai's behaviors. She seeks Sai to talk to him.

Shikamaru opened the door to his new home. He pointed to the living room, “Please just set everything there, and if you guys are up for the challenge, decorate my house before I return.” 

Chouji pushed him aside and hauled in a wagon of miscellaneous properties from the wicked genius, “Don’t worry, Shikamaru. Don’t have too much fun in Suna.” 

Shikamaru stepped aside and grinned. Almost all of his friends were here with the exception of the Hyuuga Heir and the unusually distant Uchiha. He had relayed a message about needing the help he could get to move his personal items from his parents’ home into his new home. And seeing that they weren’t here, it didn’t faze him much. The Hyuuga was more difficult to reach now that his realm and their realms were different now. As for the Uchiha, he had been almost unreachable if not for Naruto. But, he wasn’t here today, and Naruto’s effort to have him come and give a friendly helping hand didn’t work. Shikamaru’s grin died to a mild simper as he gave Ino his house key. 

“You,” Ino handed her palm out to him, “you’re too hasty.”

Shikamaru shrugged, “What can I do? You’re just jealous I somehow found someone to marry before you did.”

Ino squinted at Shikamaru as he passed by her, “Oh shut it, Shikamaru. Getting married at eighteen isn’t something to brag about.”

“But being the first to get married out of all of us is.”

Ino turned around to watch as Shikamaru stood beside his uncle. She sighed, feeling a bit sorrowful for him. “You better come back with her safe and sound.”

Shikamaru was thrown back by her words. He awkwardly chuckled as a ruckus began to sound from within his new home. “I will, Ino. And when I return, you’ll be the first to be invited to my wedding.” He waved her off and slipped on the tiny pack his uncle was holding. “Please take care of my home until I return.” 

Ino bit her inner cheek. She clenched on the keys tightly. If not for the war, instead of his uncle accompanying him to Suna to retrieve Temari, it would’ve been his father. She faced the direction of the cacophonous voices from within the home and stormed into it. Stopping by the door, everyone was opening their boxes of Shikamaru’s belongings and pacing around the family home, trying to find the best place to settle the items. She sighed in relief and stepped inside before closing the door. “Guys! If we can finish putting Shikamaru’s stuff away today and decorate accordingly, I’ll treat us all to BBQ!”

“Are you serious?” Naruto belted. 

“Really?” Chouji chimed in. 

“Mm!” Ino confirmed. 

Like a colony of ants, before her own eyes, Ino witnessed the already noisy bunch erupt into a frenzy. Sakura paced to Ino and gave her a warm smile, “You really didn’t have to do that, Ino.”

“I know, but everyone knows if we don’t finish it today, there won’t be any motivation to continue it tomorrow.”

Sakura chuckled and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, “I guess there’s only Chouji left for you to send off.”

Ino’s lips curved and she reminisced all those heavy words they shared with Hinata and Tenten on that hangout night. The memories came to her warmly, “Yes,” she replied to Sakura, “and after Chouji, I can finally start looking for mine.” 

Sakura raised a brow at the woman, unsure if she heard her correctly, “Aren't you dating-”

Ino’s eyes diverted to Kiba setting Shikamaru’s notebooks in the sink. “Kiba, no!” She quickly left Sakura's side. “What if someone turns on the water?!”

“It’s only temporary, Ino-”

Sakura’s eyes darted to her teammate Sai. He had kept his eyes on the blonde woman all this time. Sakura was never good in reading anyone’s expression, let alone Sai’s inexpressive self. She truly wondered why Ino would say such a thing. 

“Hey,” Tenten interrupted her thoughts. “I was wondering if— is everything okay?” 

The dark-haired woman stared at Sakura for a good amount of seconds. Sakura looked away from Sai and nodded, “Yeah, I just— nevermind,” she shook away Ino’s words. “What is it?”

Tenten handed her a set of chinaware, distracting her from meddling in her friend’s affairs. Mindlessly, she occupied herself with everyone surrounding her, much like how Ino was doing in the exact moment. Sakura picked the chinaware from Tenten’s hands and set them onto the counter. Sai and Ino’s relationship had nothing to do with her but she felt as though she should speak to him.

.

.

Sakura stood in the alleyway of the restaurant’s building as she waited for Sai to leave. The dinner ended fifteen minutes ago but he hadn’t left the restaurant at all. She knew that Ino was still inside, and she knew that all night, Sai was stalling time to have a sparing moment to speak to her. 

The restaurant door swung open and instead of seeing Sai, she witnessed Ino stomping out of the building. Her demeanor wasn’t as different as all the other times but something told her that this time, this wasn’t the case. Sakura eyes Ino as she lifted off the ground in a haste. It was evident now that something bad definitely happened. Ino was not a person to jump from roof to roof. Only when she was needed by the higher-ups did she ever scale them. And as Sakura judged it, there were no apparent signs that would suggest that Ino was needed anywhere. Just as her conclusion ended, out came Sai. His fingers released the door handle with a sense of devastation. 

“Sakura-chan,” Sai called her. 

She tensed, stepping out the shadows. He hadn’t even looked her way to know of her presence, “Sai, can I speak to you?” 

He turned to her with that all-too-familiar smile. With his eyes closed and an agonizingly false simper, he nodded, “Sure.”

By the stair steps of the now-closed restaurant, Sakura crossed her arms and wondered what questions she would ask him. She supposed she should start with what just happened inside that caused Ino to erupt from the door and act so unusual. “What happened in there?”

Sai stared at the little pebbles on the road as the streetlight emitted from above, “Nothing happened.” His eyes never strayed from the objects at all. 

“No, what really happened in there, Sai,” Sakura urged him. “You both are acting strange.”

Strange? Nothing was strange at all to him. “Would acting this way be strange?” 

Sakura’s brows furrowed, “What do you mean?”

“My being, acting this way,” he let his sentence trailed off, “after being rejected.”

“Rejected?” Sakura repeated. “Sai, tell me what happened.”

To tell her meant that he’d have to start from the beginning. He’d have to begin from the moment the war ended, for it was only right to do so. Sai recalled the first time he laid eyes on the blonde woman. Reminiscing about it now, Ino was a beautiful woman. He didn’t know why he said she was ugly because it wasn’t true at all. It wasn't guilting for calling her such an unfitting name. It wasn't pitying that he felt when he realized that she had lost her father in the War. Simply, like a radiant beam, she was a light beckoning him to her. It was the curiosity of her that drew him towards her. 

Ino was almost as bright as the next brightest person he knew: Naruto. The only exception was that he could see her efforts in trying to be the person she used to be after losing her father. He could see the burden she had placed upon herself to never put the spotlight on herself. Weakness wasn’t something she wanted to show; it was something he’d come to learn in the year that he’d gotten closer to her. 

Sai supposed he did indeed find her personality unfitting for him. But despite her neverending enthusiasm, he never ceased to want to stay beside her. Perhaps reading too many books on friendship had originally prompted him to reach out to her in the beginning. But as time went on, he realized that it wasn’t the books. Instead, it was his own heart beating and yearning for her. To get to know her, familiarize himself with her, maybe even for life, he realized that in his initial approach, he was already in love with her. 

On that day, that morning when he asked her out on their first date, it struck him odd that she still wanted to go on a date even though she blatantly stated that she did not like him as a potential mate. And originally, he wasn’t hurt that she didn’t like him, because he didn’t like her. But with the days passing by, with every minute spent with her, he had begun to realize that there were more complicated feelings he harbored for her. Those feelings continued to grow. 

Whenever Sai met eyes with Ino, he believed that these platonic dates had turned into something more than just what it was: a situation put into a place where two beings of no attraction merely experiencing one another’s presence. They were no longer friends, he believed they’ve become something more. From the way her smile grew to the kindness she frequently gave to him, Sai was sure that she felt the same way. 

“I thought she loved me,” Sai defeatedly told Sakura, “even though there was a sense of fear she had that always loomed around, I was sure that she loved me.” 

He pulled out a mini book regarding love and it caught Sakura’s attention. Sakura eyes lowered and she sighed, “Sai, reading about love from a book won’t-”

“I stopped reading it,” he threw the book into the trash can from a couple of feet away. “I’ve let my heart decide to decipher these feelings for her, and I’m sure that I really do love her.”

“What did you say to her inside?” Sakura pressed. She was impressed with Sai’s sudden delineation from reading all of those books. “What did you mean by rejection?”

Sai turned to Sakura and stared at her blankly, “I don’t want you to do anything, to intervene at all, Sakura-chan.”

She was taken aback, “I won’t. But please tell me, if I can help in any way, I will do it.”

Sai diverted his eyes from her and ruffled his hair in a minor frustration, “I asked her to marry me.” Sakura held her breath at his words. Her eyes widen and she subconsciously stared at him. “But to her, we’re just friends.”

To Ino, they were just friends. Sai recalled the way her lips quivered when he asked her about it. He recalled the fear in her eyes as if she was fearful of him.  _ “We’re just friends, Sai. We were always friends.” _ The way she delivered it, it continued to ring within his ears. 

“So we’ll continue to be friends, Sakura-chan. Whatever happens after tonight, don’t do a single thing,” he told her. “Let me handle my problem, please don’t pester her.”

Sakura’s expression softened a long while ago. “Okay.”

Love was hard to come by. More so, it was harder to recognize. Sai knew that there was no one but her to whom he’d ever love or be close to. If being friends was the only way for him to see her, he’d be glad to be her friend. And for the day that she finds someone else to call her own, he supposed that’ll be the day their friendship ends.


	58. Breathing Space

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke's dispute regarding the Uchiha's land settles after two years. Neji quickly presses onto the next issue at hand: the Hyuuga's curse mark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (time skip)

The day to day life that Neji once had changed drastically. In the blink of an eye, two busy years had passed by. The path to peace was a riddle that required several people to decipher. Sasuke Uchiha’s request was an arduous one. It kept him busy contacting the other different clans without a minute to spare. He couldn’t spare even a day to venture out to the village to catch up with his familiar faces even if he wanted to Neji gave that task to Sora, having him walk amongst the people on some days that the boy, now at the age of seventeen, felt like going out. Sora would return with a briefing of his teammates and notices within the village.  _ “The Hanami Festival has returned again. The year’s Harvest Festival is here. Everyone is doing fine.” _ Sora told him his findings in short sentences. Neji could only imagine what the young man meant when he said that they were fine.

Were his friends fine, existing and living life well? Were there missions he hadn’t known about? He wondered about these trivial things on a daily basis. Neji leaned against the lacquered railing of the open corridor as he listened to the pitter patter of the rain hitting the garden. He let his perspiring skin cool with the damp breeze after a four-hour taijutsu training with Hiro and Tokuma. Out there, Lee and Tenten would probably still be training. A smile escaped his lips as the thought came to him. 

Randomly, it was at times like these where he was free to let his mind loosely think that he thought about them. “They’d definitely still be training out there,” Neji spoke to himself. He looked to the sky in the direction where their old training grounds were. It was in that direction that he recalled seeing the familiar massive Lotus of Sun Wen summoned. Its intimidating shadow cascaded over his compound. He recalled watching as the twenty-five petals spun, whirling wind, drawing him and his being toward her weapon’s direction like a vortex. Her own special weapon, he had finally seen it in action, even though he was far away. In that moment, though Neji couldn’t see Tenten, he felt her. Instinctively, he pressed his hand to his heart, recalling her intimate poke to his chest.  _ “Truthfully, persistently, like a bug that cannot be shaken away…” _ He still remembered her last few words to him from two years ago. She was always with him.

“Why not just tackle the Hyuuga’s marriage customs instead of the curse mark?” Hanabi skidded to him with Sora closely following behind. Whenever her cousin was in deep thought, he tended to have a habit of keeping a hand close to his heart. Hanabi assumed that in his mind, he was thinking of only one person. 

Neji turned around and gave her a crooked smile, “You returned the book that fast?” He gave her the Book of the Deva Path and gave her the errand to return it to the Nara’s library right after he finished sparring. That was ten minutes ago and she was already back.

“Do you even know how much the fee was?” Hanabi yelled at him.

“It’s not coming out from your pocket though,” Sora pointed out. 

Hanabi huffed and crossed her arms at Sora’s remark. I can’t believe you kept the book for two years.” Her cousin’s hand dropped to his side, and she remembered why she decided to belt out her arrival from several feet away. Her cousin was two years into his marriageable age at the age of twenty. And though she knew why he refused to get married, she also knew that the only way to solve her cousin’s single livelihood was to change the marriage customs. If Neji got married, their grandfather would stop holding monthly meetings regarding Neji and his need for great-great-grandsons. “The curse mark issue can wait, can’t it, brother? I’d rather have you get married and stop sitting here thinking about Tenten-san.”

“It’s not time to get married yet,” Neji returned his gaze to the rainy sky. The world may seem peaceful, but it hadn’t been achieved yet. “Marriage will come last.”

Hanabi scoffed and her eyes roamed around to see if her grandfather was nearby. He wasn’t. “I thought you hated being proposed to more than the curse mark, I guess I was wrong.” 

Neji chuckled at his cousin’s bold words, “I do hate it, just not as much as for the latter.”

“Well, since the issue with the Uchiha clan’s land is settled, why not get started on the curse mark customs then?” Hanabi pressed. “I’m tired of having grandfather pester me to pester you about finding a maiden when I know you won’t choose anyone.”

“Of course,” Neji propped himself up from the lacquered railing, “Please relay a message for me that there will be a meeting tomorrow.”

Sora gave him a nod, “Yes, Neji-sama.”

“Are you serious?” Hanabi’s back straightened, “what is it for?”

“The curse mark customs,” Neji blatantly answered before turning around to head the bath. 

Hanabi hurried after him, “But the Uchiha problem just ended yesterday!”

“I know, and you’ve got a good day to rest,” Neji pointed out.

“The Uchiha land dispute took two whole years, brother! One free day?!” She sighed, realizing that Sora was following them. “I haven’t even gotten a chance to visit my sister!”

Neji rolled his eyes at her. Hanabi visited Hinata every single day because he let her. “I thought you wanted to tackle the curse mark problem as soon as possible?”

“I was kidding, brother,” Hanabi whined. “Look at me! I’m getting wrinkles!”

“Everyone gets wrinkles,” Sora tried to intervene.

“I’m only fourteen!” Hanabi hissed at Sora. She turned back to Neji, “Brother, I-” she began to fake a cough as she’s done many times before, “I’m getting sick.”

Neji shook his head in dismay, “Don’t even try with that excuse.” She huffed in defeat. Just a year ago, Shikamaru came to meet with him regarding Hanabi’s health. Needless to say, she was completely healed from the illness caused by the attack two years ago. “It’s barely noon, you have plenty of time to visit Hinata.” 

He watched as his cousin stormed off in a tantrum with Sora following closely after. Neji crossed his arms and blew out a sigh. He turned back to the rainy scenery and a tiny smile came to his lips. On a rainy day like this, the temperature was perfect, the breeze was just right. Time would slow right before his eyes. Raindrops would slant to earth at an impeccably slowed pace and he’d see his reflection in it. Caged within the walls of the estate, within the fortress, his own sighs were the tunes to his ear. The gǔqín he brought home was rarely touched because the fortress was a place that never played a tune. If he struck the string, the viable maidens his grandfather had introduced to him would appear one by one to be his audience. He only wanted to play it for one person only but she wasn’t here. She couldn’t be here. 

Neji wasn’t skilled with the instrument, much to his dismay. No matter how elegant and long his fingers were, they were not meant to play any coherent piece for the orchids. The orchids may sway to the subpar melody, but perhaps it was due to the creaking tune that made them sway to prevent themselves from snapping. The wildflowers would listen to any melody no matter how horrible to the ear it was. He would only play for the wildflowers.


	59. The Phoenix Symbol

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji holds a meeting to propose the removal of the curse mark tradition in the Hyuuga Clan.

The pitter patter of the rain hadn’t stopped since yesterday. Neji sat in silence as he looked across the southeast hall. Every single time he stood in this hall, he was reminded of the nostalgic moments that lived here. It was here that his fate within the clan changed. It was here that he fought to stand his ground. Neji’s eyes laid on the seat cushion where he once sat. Beside his uncle at the forefront, he remembered showing his clan members the mukōgan. Sitting in the Heir’s seat had made it seem as if he towered over everyone else, but it wasn’t likely. Neji gripped his fists tighter as he waited for the clan members to arrive. 

Arriving early was a habit he continued to keep. Sora stood beside him until the members arrived. And when the first one did come, Sora had to leave. As the time drew close to 8 am, Neji watched as the seats began to fill up. Takashi was here, so was Hiro, and his grandfather, Neiro. Gone were his cousin’s whose affiliations with the head of the household had been minimized due to their personal reasoning. If Hanabi wanted to attend, she could have. The same went for Hinata as well. However, both of them had told him prior that they’ve engagements outside. Therefore, there was no reason for him to include them in today’s meeting. As Sora closed the hall doors, the meeting commenced. 

Neji breathed in calmly and his eyes scanned over the heads of his clan members. It was at times like these, in meetings such as these that tension brewed without cause. There should be no animosity whatsoever, but there was an underlying whisper that everyone knew. This whisper had been conjured the moment he rose to take on the title. Despite its palpable threat, Neji never did anything to dissipate it. With time, as he saw it, it would disappear. As long as he continued to put his clan before his own needs, in the end, he would bear a fruit. And that fruit, it would be harvested in this moment. 

The sound of rain hitting the paved stones outside drowned out the moment Neji spoke. “Today, I’ve gathered you all here to discuss who shall be permitted into the Hyuuga’s Tactical Council.” He was once offered a position for this council but had refused it. Since his refusal, no one had received the place at all. 

“The Hyuuga’s Tactical Council’s vacant seat had been stalled for quite some time, I am pleased to hear that it will be whole once more, Neji-sama,” Takashi stated. Beside him, his grandfather silently listened onward.

“Neji-sama,” Hiro called to him, “the position had been vacant for a while now, why must this issue be tended to?”

Neji merely glanced to Hiro. In the two years that he’d become the Heir, their interactions were purely business. From training, sparring, to receiving and sending intel, the brief past they’ve shared were far more apparent than whatever interaction they had now. Neji looked forward away from the older man. Hiro’s moral ambiguity begged to be questioned. “The Unity of all of Konoha’s clans has become stronger than before in other preceding generations. With peace underway, I find that now is the best time to fill the vacancy.” Neji paused, looking back to Hiro once more. “The Tactical Council is filled with members who’ve little knowledge of outside affairs aside from the clans’. I’ve selected a specific individual for the role.”

Silence loomed around the atmosphere of the room. Objection from any members never occurred ever since he took over the title of the Heir. Neji supposed it was due to their mere ignorance in believing that choosing to avoid whatever choice he made would mean that if a calamity ensued upon the clan, he’d be readily at fault. He knew that was nearly impossible, for such a thing would never occur in his time. Every move that he made was calculated and thoroughly cautioned. From every step, every movement of the chess piece, Neji had already thought of all the possibilities that might just appear. 

“Let him in,” Neji announced. 

Sora pried the door open from the outside and in came Tokuma. As the door closed, he silently made his way to the center of the aisle and kneeled before Neji. “I, Hyuuga Tokuma, have arrived, Neji-sama.”

Every shift of the eyes was noted by the Heir. Neji calmly breathed in, “I am appointing you the vacant position in the Hyuuga’s Tactical Council, do you accept?”

“Your grace is magnanimous, Neji-sama,” Tokuma replied. 

Neji eyed everyone else once more. Their stern faces said more than their tongues. “Any objections?” He gave the clan members the opportunity to oppose. 

“I do,” a familiar voice spoke. 

Of course, Neji knew it would come from Hiro himself. Takashi squirmed in his seat, feeling a sense of deja vu. 

“Speak,” Neji prompted.

Hiro gulped and met eyes with the Heir, “The Hyuuga’s Tactical Council had always been managed by head members of the clan. Tokuma is a branch member, although adept and suitable for the position, going against customs has been forbidden-”

“Are you questioning my legitimacy in obtaining the title of the Heir?” Neji questioned him. 

“No!” Hiro quickly answered. “Neji-sama, I am merely trying to keep our customs from being forgotten.”

“That is your concern?” 

Hiro gulped harder this time. He knew he shouldn’t have said anything in the first place, “My concern is far too meager to be amplified in your presence, Neji-sama.” He slowly exhaled, hoping that that would be the end of it. 

Neji blinked and a smirk escaped his lips. He knew someone would oppose to Tokuma’s rise in status. He’d foreseen all possibilities. “Takashi,” he called to the older man.

“Yes, Neji-sama,” Takashi tilted his head toward the front; his eyes laid low and fearful. 

“The last time the Tactical Council’s vacant position was brought up, it was by you,” Neji told him. “This is the second time your son had objected to a branch member receiving the position, is it not?”

Takashi glared at Hiro and nervously took in a breath. “That is correct, Neji-sama.”

Neji’s eyes quickly moved from Takashi to Hiro. “What a precarious situation we have here,” he snickered. The sly attitude he had buried away had come to him once more. Neji quite disliked acting menacing for fear of becoming a tyrant-like Heir like his predecessors. Nonetheless, his slyness was a pre-calculated move. Neji just could not unravel why there was now fear floating ghostly around the room. “Worrying for a dying custom and tradition that is no longer needed in this era of peace, let alone denoting how impractical it is now,” Neji glared at Hiro, making it known to the older man that he was staring at him, “I find it foolish of you, Hiro.”

Hiro looked up, feeling immense pressure on his body. He hurriedly shuffled to the aisle right behind Tokuma and brought his forehead to the floor, “Neji-sama, please forgive me.”

“What for?” Neji asked, “You’re in no fault. You’ve merely brought us into the next agenda to be tackled in this meeting.” Hiro glanced up past Tokuma’s back. He blinked compulsively and began to lay his head low. “Hurry to your seat now,” Neji prompted Hiro. The older man backtracked to his cushion. Tokuma soon rose up and retreated as well. 

Neji closed his eyes, listening to the sound of the door close as Tokuma’s footsteps faintly meshed with the sound of rain. He then opened his eyes, “To think that you might’ve changed now that you're married and settled down with two twins, I was right to not give you the position, Hiro.”

Simultaneously, all eyes were directed at the man mentioned. Neiro drew in a shallow breath and sighed as Takashi’s brows furrowed. Hiro pressed his lips thinly before feeling more unseeable pressure hold him captive in the room. “M–may I ask why, Neji-sama,” his ego got the better of him. 

“The children are our future. They are the ones to keep the peace we’ve fought so hard for. To give them a curse mark and bound them to these customs and traditions will only brew hatred,” Neji’s eyes narrowed on him. “I heard your son was born second after your daughter, correct me if I’m wrong, Hiro.”

“You are correct, Neji-sama,” Hiro seethed upon the mention of his children. His jaws shut tight and he looked intensely at the middle of the aisle. 

“Unlike you, I will not subject your son to a lifetime of agony,” Neji told him. 

Hiro shot up and stood before him. His affairs were his own to manage and to have a younger person, to have Neji, the man whom he lost to before, to have him derail everything the had grown up with, Hiro would not let it pass by silently. “You will not throw away our clan’s safe line for our kekkei genkai-”

With just the rise of one of Neji’s brows, he had halted Hiro’s ascension toward him with gravity manipulation. He then brought Hiro closer to him, via the Deva path, “We’ve no apparent need for an inhibiting curse mark.” Neji released the gravity pull, allowing Hiro to collapse to the ground. 

He viewed the members in the room, finally drawing back all of his own chakra he had expelled prior to the meeting. It was a safety precaution, a thread of defense to alert him of any danger that might rupture his way. However, Neji found no use for it at this moment. He noted of the member’s frightened faces. He supposed they’ve never seen the Deva path being used by anyone, let alone know that it was an ability only acquirable through the tenseigan. 

“How many opportunities had the Hyuuga clan missed in obtaining the mukōgan or the tenseigan because of the curse mark?” Neji watched as Hiro struggled to his knees. “How can we continue to boast about the Hyuuga being the strongest clan in Konoha when we’ve no one to support our claims? Our old traditions and customs have hindered our clan’s growth for generations. It is not solely because our ancestors wanted to protect the byakugan did they implement the curse mark, the convoluted marriage customs, and the hierarchy system into our clan. We’ve seen in multiplicity the ability of our kekkei genkai being passed on to children being born to women of outside ancestry.” Neji eyed Hiro as he frailly sat up into a seiza, occupying the place where Tokuma previously was. “From this point forward, absolute change will embed into our clan’s history. Those who wish not to abide may leave if you so choose. I’ve nothing to prohibit you from walking out of here.” Neji waited for any motion, but there were none. “If you’ve any doubt of me-”

“It is not doubt that sews their mouths shut, Neji,” Neiro stated. Neji raised a brow to his grandfather. “Dismiss the meeting, your proposal is established.” 

Neji did as he was told. And with one simple nod, one by one, the members began to leave in a hush. With the door agape and Sora standing idly beside the entrance, Neiro finally stood up and walked slowly to the door. Neji followed closely after and they both exited the hall and onto the engawa. Neiro looked out to the gray sky and the never-ending rain. “It is fear. It is the fear that you can abuse your powers and that you might abuse them for your gain. As such, it is why no one dares to speak, Neji.”

Sora merely lowered his gaze and took a couple of steps away from them to give them privacy. Neji’s brows furrowed and he was confused as to why. “Grandfather, in the two years that I’ve ascended to the title, I have never once thought of using what new abilities I have conjured to suppress anyone.”

“They’ve seen the powers that come with those precious eyes of yours, Neji. The Hyuuga clan had prided itself for generations for its kekkei genkai, but it has been humiliated in this prior War,” Neiro looked to Neji and offered a warm smile. “The Hyuuga clan’s pride has been restored with you. Its immeasurable powers lie with you. Whatever you do, whatever you want to do for the better of this clan, they will not object. Like a flock of birds, you are the Phoenix at the forefront and we are all behind you, Neji. Peace and prosperity embody you. Change is what needs to be seen. Your wings will spread far and wide across the Hyuuga clan, you will make everyone see that change.” Neji remained silent, not knowing how to accept his grandfather’s explanation. “What we most desire from you is not for a change in the clan, instead, it is for you to begin your progeny.”

Neji’s eyes lit up at the mention of his lineage. His grandfather of all people should know the circumstances of his progeniture. “I will marry after everything is sorted out, grandfather.”

Neiro sighed defeatedly, “You still insist on marrying that woman?”

“I do.”

“You do know that undoing customs and traditions takes more than just writing letters and giving offerings,” Neiro warned him.

“I know what I must do, grandfather.”

“Then you must get going. There are plenty more of those who will oppose your direction,” Neiro turned toward Sora and a grimace flashed across his face. “Perhaps, I will not live long enough to see my grandchildren’s children, but I will see the day the curse mark is lifted.”

Sora meekly looked down as Neiro passed by him. Neji walked after his grandfather, “I will make sure it happens, grandfather. Forgive me for not seeing you off,” he briefly watched as his grandfather turned the corner. Neji glanced at Sora and placed a reassuring hand on the boy’s shoulder, “Now will be a good time for you to retire as my assistant, Sora.”

“That is impossible, Neji-sama,” Sora replied. “Although I had no choice in the beginning but to serve you, I’ve no other place I’d rather go than to serve you now. You gave me the choice to choose once, and my answer stays the same. It hasn’t changed, Neji-sama.”

“Alright,” Neji replied. “Then, go find Hanabi and have the both of you inscribe the manuscripts I’ve written on my desk.”

“Understood, Neji-sama.”

Neji turned around and headed for the Hyuuga’s underground Athenaeum. From this point on, there was no turning back an going on his words. To undo traditions and customs, there were specific ceremonies that must be done in order to avoid generational misfortune. Of course, things like these made Neji a bit skeptical, but for the sake of precautionary measures, he needed to perform them. In his mind, he had already made a list of the possible things he needed to do. The manuscripts he wrote needed to be published into their clan’s history. He needed more than just this meeting to begin to change his clan’s ways. He’ll need to learn how to remove the curse mark and plenty more. 


	60. For the Little Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As time passes, Neji begins to doubt if he truly loves Tenten. Drowning in his memories of her one snowy night, he realizes when he fell for her.

The rain in Spring seasoned into snow as the Winter settled in. Neji sat in the dead of the night with one candle as his light. He continued writing onward to scriptures needed to submit to the diplomacy to give him access to the Hyuuga’s old clan shrine. He needed to perform his “undoing” ceremony soon. In the months that lead him here to this frigid night, there was not a time that he could spare to think of anything other than to complete what he set out to do. Neji didn’t think that there would this much paperwork to do, though it couldn’t compete with the Hokage’s workload.

The candlelight flickered once before erratically blowing itself dead. Neji set the ink brush on the jade brush holder. He didn’t want to be annoyed even though he ought to be. The letter didn’t need to be written right in that moment, for it wasn’t due to be sent until the next two days but little interruptions such as the death of his source of light discouraged him from continuing. Neji wanted to investigate what draft caused the candlelight to be blown.

“It can’t possibly be the wind,” he murmured as he shuffled his knees to the sliding door.

Neji slid the door open, finding snowflakes brushing against his skin. The coldness of the night finally made itself apparent. Perhaps he needed a distraction. Neji opened the door widely and edged to the engawa. He looked out to the dimly lit garden in front of him. The snow had just begun to collect above the earth. For all the right reasons, Neji allowed the nostalgia to flush through to him.

Even though he was sitting in a different place, the feeling was still the same. The feeling, the aching feeling of being so far from the one he loved was still so apparent tonight. Neji recalled when he first felt so helpless under a weather such as this. He had just indirectly confessed to her and she promised to come the next day. She kept him waiting through the first month of winter.

Neji stretched his palm out to feel the snowflakes hit his hand. Now that he could see, missing her was more bearable than when he was temporarily blind. Neji placed his hand onto his lap. For some reason, his heart couldn’t beat as strongly as it once did for her.

If time was the reason why his memory of her was beginning to fade, he wondered if she was the same. This little game of promises that he exchanged with her, he wondered if after all this time, if she still kept her promise to him. They were in the second year of their departure, surely, she would have gotten tired of waiting by now.

Neji turned around and crawled back to his room. He could no longer stand the cold. On those nights when he chased after her, when she clouded all of his thoughts, he was numb to the pain. And now, Neji wondered if he had gotten too used to the warmth of his path now that he could no longer stand letting his mind run to her all the time. _Why am I thinking like this? I still love her, don’t I?_ Neji re-lit the candle on the short-legged table. But instead of resuming his writing, he stared at the flame. He indeed still loved her. No matter what conclusion, what excuse he made, he still loved her.

Within the flame, he imagined the fire in her eyes. He came to when her passion was definite. Neji leaned an elbow onto the table and propped his chin up to stare at the moving flame. Neji relinquished all of the walls he’d put up to stop himself from manifesting the image of her in his mind. He had put them up because his duties needed to be executed to perfection. Only then could he ever be able to take the necessary steps to change his clan’s marriage customs. Only then could he finally have her beside him.

And so Neji let those walls crumble for just one night because tonight, he felt vulnerable. He felt vulnerable about their love and whatever bounded them together. He was afraid it wasn’t enough to keep them together. Neji let the reel within his mind escape and project his memories into the flame. And as the flame lit up his entire room, he basked and drank in those memories of her until he was drunk:

She was the most beautiful when the flames grew in her eyes. It was her passion and determination to become stronger that drew him toward her. His memories ran deeply, all the way back to when he first laid his eyes upon her. She was a loud child back then. And even then, she adorned those iconic buns he had unraveled. Looking at it now, looking at her cheerful spirit when she was a child, her world must have been so brightly paved. They were six when she joined the academy.

With her expressive nature, he originally despised her because he believed that she must have had parents whenever she returned home. She was a joy to be shared and he recalled hating someone with so much passion and happiness. Neji was nine when he discovered that she was an orphan. He simply couldn’t understand how she could maintain all that positivity into that little body of her’s. He was jealous and ignorant. And easily, he discarded every notion of her existence. Her kind of world was too bright for him.

Neji was twelve when her name became more apparent in his life. He recalled the disdain and bitterness on his tongue when her name was called to be his cellmate. Until then, he hadn’t known much about her.

The flame flickered once, swaying to the left and right back into the center of the scentless candle. Neji blinked. The vigor of the display of her skill in weaponry crossed his mind. Neji was just about to turn thirteen when he witnessed her polished skills.

The little things she did when she wielded a weapon, back then, Neji merely speculated them to learn from her. But now, looking back on it, he realized he was taking in soft memories of how she looked when she shined the brightest. Neji simpered as his eyes gazed at the bright flame. He couldn’t believe he was unknowingly falling in love with his cellmate before he could even let the word slip from his mouth.

When they were fourteen, he discarded the notions of fate and destiny. He stopped using her as a stepping stone to further his agenda: becoming strong had become their mantra. He began to see her as a worthwhile comrade. Neji wondered at what point in time did she conceal her feelings for him. Because looking at the flame right now, he realized that he had been misplacing his endeavors to her in all the wrong places. He didn’t really know when the beginning truly began.

The little seconds he spared to watch her whenever she happened to come across his plane soon began to add up. It began to pile and he had categorized each and every second of it into all the wrong places. The minor skin contact he briefly initiated out of necessity started out as a platonic touch. But as they became more apparent and the more they happened to let these mishaps continue, he began to disperse them into different areas of his mind. _“Accidents happen, between you and I. There is nothing more to this than a mere touch.”_ It was a verbal excuse to destroy what feelings he could have formed for her when they were young. Neji’s gaze never strayed from the melting flame, he could have realized his amalgamated affection for her when they were young.

She had just turned seventeen when Team Gai was brought back together to aid Team Kakashi and bring the kazekage back. Neji leaned his head against his arm down onto the short-legged table. His eyes were strained from the bright flame. He had gone tired but he still wanted to back in the nostalgia they’d taken. It was their first mission together as a team again. Neji recalled those times. He was a Jonin already and was expected to stray from his cellmates for more important missions. Returning to Team Gai in that moment was somewhat a ride of emotions.

There was no doubt that his bond was stronger with Lee than with her especially in those years. He was at the peak of finding his worth and she was, well, a considerable teammate to him. But being a considerable teammate wouldn’t flesh out what he felt when he was subjected to her. Tenten was, in those years, an unchanging person. For that, he was grateful because he wouldn’t have to learn to cope with her antics. But just because he didn’t have to re-familiarize himself with her did not mean he didn’t struggle at all. Neji found himself to be the most awkward when he was with her.

At the prime of finding his worth, she had entered his life once more. And this time, it wasn’t just the mere accidental touches nor the nuances of her demeanor. No, this time, he purposefully held his gaze on her longer. There was more than the intention to keep her within his peripherals to _protect her._  Neji finally let his eyes rest. He didn’t want to drift to sleep just yet. It was apparent now where he realized the true beginning of his feelings for his comrade, then, friend. Looking back now, his affection for her sprouted in an unsuitable environment. They were in the midst of a fight. He had made several mistakes prior in trying to subdue the enemy and it was partially her fault. Back then, he blamed it on her because he felt to need to protect her. But now, it was because he couldn’t do both: he couldn’t protect her and subdue the enemy.

When the water prison burst, he caught her frail body. He believed it to be frail, but when she was in his arms, he was completely wrong. Through the clothes that stuck to her body, she was lean as could be. He hadn’t realized that she had turned into a woman until that very moment and that was what made him sound so awkward when he let her name slip through his lips. Hesitantly, breathlessly, as if he was questioning his right to have her name on his tongue, he asked her if she was fine. And she was, at least that was what he wanted to believe he heard because, in truth, he didn’t remember what she said. In his mind, all that circulated in his thoughts were the feel of her tiny waist as his hands were wrapped around her. And when everything settled down, he refused to stray from her because in that moment, he realized that all these thoughts, they were not coincidental.

Quickly, he threw those indecent thoughts out of his mind. They were on a mission after all. Neji believed it’ll be easy to pick these feelings back up when the mission was over but he seemingly never did. Returning home, his Jounin duties pried him of the time to spend a single night recovering those unknown affections for his cellmate. They remained untouched for what seemed to be decades. Neji thought about the day before the war. Somehow, he felt he should’ve told her in that moment that he had these kinds of feelings. He felt he should’ve told her right then in there, regardless if Lee was there or not, that he had these feelings and he wanted to explore them with her. However, what was in the past could never be redone and revisited. Neji was somewhat grateful for the Infinite Tsukuyomi, for it finally let it be known of his true want for her.

.

Neji succumbed to the sleepiness. On a cold night such as this, his mind returned to the younger of himself searching through the snowy night for her. Trudging through the icy paths in the middle of the night and sitting under one lamppost under the bench, he momentarily flew back in time to let that kind of coldness encompass his present self. Neji still loved her. His memories of her hadn’t faded. The little things she did had always remained with him. The familiarity of the cold winter came to him tonight and it reminded him of their journey here. He drifted to slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clarification: I purposefully added in the tiny callback to Kisame vs. Team Gai fight only because it is a tangible event in the anime. I didn't want to create events that didn't happen in the manga/anime regarding Neji and Tenten between the time skip in "Naruto" and "Naruto Shippuden" because it's something I can't do. It is why I made the excuse to use "busy Jounin" for Neji so that his time spent with Team Gai, and especially with Tenten would be limited. Doing so would excuse his "unknown" feelings for her until the War happens.  
> Thank you for keeping up with me.


	61. Naruto Proposes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naruto questions Hinata if Neji still loves Tenten.

Neji sat in the tea room of his uncle’s home as he waited for a certain blonde man to show up. Naruto wanted to propose to his cousin for a while now and the day had come. Beside him sat Hinata who held a box: her gift to her soon-to-be fiance. Hinata was finally getting married.

Neji pried his eyes off of the sake bottle situated beside him and his mind ran adrift. While he busied himself with internal clan affairs, Shikamaru got married. He received the invitation a little later than he would have liked because there was no way for him to wedge his friend’s wedding anywhere in his schedule. “It’s been a year now that they’ve married,” he thought to himself. Neji supposed it would have enlightened him to attend Shikamaru’s special day. He could have been able to see how Tenten was doing or how much she had changed. But he couldn’t go.  _ “Tenten was there too, she asked me if you were coming.” _ He wasn’t coming, he couldn’t come.

The door slid open and in front stood Naruto. Neji smiled and welcomed him into his uncle’s tea room. Nervously, Naruto pulled on his collar and sat across from Neji and Hinata. Neji poured the sake into Naruto’s cup and into his cousin’s as well. “Please, discard the formalities, Naruto.” He was twenty-one when Naruto asked for his cousin’s hand in marriage. 

“Ah, right,” Naruto nervously set his box of gifts down and slid it to Neji. “I haven’t been assigned to many missions, so this is all that I’ve managed to collect for Hinata-chan’s dowry.”

Neji opened the box and pulled out the envelope of money the blonde man had collected. He slid the item back to Naruto, “Use this money to build your future with my cousin, Naruto. Take care of her well.” Hinata handed Neji her box. It was her gift to Naruto. Neji gently accepted it and handed it to Naruto, “Please wear this on your wedding.”

Naruto undid the bow and lifted the lid of the box to find a hakama. He looked up to Hinata, “Thank you, Hinata-chan.” Hinata shyly gave him a nod. 

“Please, drink the sake before it’s ruined,” Neji hurried them. Altogether, they raised their cup to their lips and downed the little alcohol. “Tell me, Naruto, have you decided on a date for the wedding?”

Naruto set the cup down and brushed his palms on his thighs, “I’d like to have my wedding before my final mission.”

“Final mission?” Neji inquired. Hinata set her cup down and bit her inner mouth. 

Naruto eyed Hinata’s demeanor, realizing that she hadn’t told Neji yet. “Hopefully, it’ll be the last mission.”

“Do detail, if you please,” Neji waved for the little feast that Hinata had prepared to be brought in. 

Hinata brought Naruto’s gift box closer to her side as a servant set a short-legged table in between her and Naruto. 

“The mission entails traversing the thirty-one hidden villages, bringing gifts to exchange to help make amends in the era of peace, Neji. I have a feeling that after this mission, peace and tranquility will finally come,” Naruto told him. 

Neji simply nodded as the food plates began to be set on the table. “That sounds good.” He urged for Naruto to taste his cousin’s food. “Just make sure to come back safely.”

Naruto lowered his eyes, hearing Neji’s comforting words made his heart wrench. He didn’t deserve to hear those words. He was sure that Neji was concerned for Hinata’s well-being in the case that Naruto wouldn’t return home, leaving Hinata to be widowed. However, Naruto felt as if those words should have gone to the other person who was joining him on this mission. If he told Neji that Tenten was going, would he like for Naruto send his words to her as well? Naruto munched on the soybeans, “This is great, Hinata-chan.”

“Tenten-san is going on the mission too,” Hinata blurted out. Neji’s eyes lit up and it quickly lowered back down. “I’m sorry, I should have told you sooner, brother.”

Naruto’s jaw refused to chew any further. He watched as Neji continued on eating as if he had not a care for the world. In the three years that he and Tenten had separated, Naruto had never seen Neji step out of the Hyuuga estate for any reasons other than to visit the diplomacy. Could the relationship between him and Tenten be that strained? “Neji, I will protect her with my life.” As soon as peace comes, Naruto would be the first to drag Neji to Tenten. No matter how dim their feelings had become, he would make it work. 

“Do what you must, Naruto,” Neji idly replied to his soon to be brother-in-law. “I have some matters to attend to, I’ll leave you two first. Please relay the date of your wedding to Hanabi, Hinata.”

Hinata turned to her cousin, “Yes, brother.” She gripped her chopsticks tightly. Though her cousin may sound normal and act normal, she knew that it wasn’t so. 

“Does Neji still love her?” Naruto asked with a solemn expression. 

Hinata snapped her head to Naruto. “Of course,” she told him. Though she hadn’t been able to visit her cousin for a while, she still heard of how he was doing through Hanabi. “Neji nii-san only has one love.”

“Then why, why does he act as if he doesn’t care for her well being?” 

“Neji nii-san does care for her, Naruto-kun,” Hinata reassured him. “He cares for her more than himself. For any spare time that he does have, Hanabi tells me he spends it with the thought of her. Always.” 

“How can one love with just the thought?” Naruto asked. He set the chopsticks down, “Do they even write letters to one another?”

She shook her head no. Hinata remembered asking her cousin the same question too.  _ “For when nights are unbearable, for when the thoughts and memories aren’t enough, why not reach out to Tenten-san through a letter, Neji nii-san?” _

_ “Because, on restless nights, when the moon isn’t shining so beautifully, when it’s unbearable to face the blow of the wind, mere words can’t explain how helpless it is to wish to have her beside me.” _

“Letters cannot express the desire Neji nii-san has for Tenten-san, Naruto-kun,” Hinata told Naruto. “The pull of the world stretches their love through time. It is the time that Neji nii-san is patiently waiting to pass by. They are waiting as patiently as they can until it is time. Until that time comes, only then. Only then can they tie their fate together.” She set her chopsticks down and reached for his hand. Hinata squeezed it tenderly, “Please make sure that Tenten-san returns safely, Naruto-kun.” 

Naruto took in a deep breath and returned her touch, “I promised, didn’t I?” He grinned from cheek to cheek.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clarification: Hinata and Hanabi still live in their old home. Hiashi is actually dead, which is why Neji is the one to stand beside Hinata as Naruto gives his gifts to her.


	62. I Miss You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji receives news that the Hyuuga clan's ancestral shrine will not be accessible anytime soon. In preparation for the rite, Neji decides to look at the layout of the shrine in the Athenaeum. However, secluded and "imprisoned" in the substructure, his mind travels to Naruto's final mission and onto Tenten's safety.

He missed her. He missed her more now that he said it. Despite it all, despite missing her, he trudged on forward only to the future. In that place, in that distant place where he hadn’t reached, she would be there waiting for him. Until then, he needed to prepare and modify his clan in order to allow her to stand beside him. Neji stepped out of his uncle’s compound as Sora followed closely after him. They headed to the bureau where the official clan magistrate was. Today was the only day that the magistrate would meet him. 

Trying to change a clan’s ancestral customs meant that Neji needed to pester old men into giving him what he needed. If not for trying to respectfully go about changing traditions, Neji would have amassed an uproar and overthrown his clan’s distasteful customs in one night. However, as he had stated before, Neji was not a tyrant. With his grandfather’s perception of the clan members acting detached from internal clan affairs, it seemed as though developing a reputation from a questionable Heir to an honorable one was just an incentive. 

Prestige and power were what the Hyuuga prided on. It was what was fed from birth to adulthood. It was the viable excuse that allowed the curse mark to exist. It was what allowed the tangled marriage rules to persist despite the declining fertility rate within the clan. Neji was done with it all the moment Naruto jammed it into his mind that he was willing to change it. However, no one from outside any clan could ever meddle within. Neji knew that if it wasn’t him, his cousins would be the ones to change it. To be able to be close to the only family he had left and to see change be made, that was all that he wanted to see. Standing together with his cousins and working together to tear down these distasteful customs and traditions was something he knew he couldn’t do alone at that time. 

Neji believed he’d never be standing here in the expansively exquisite hall of the official clan magistrate. Never had it crossed his mind that he’d become the Heir to his clan. And to stand here for the one seal of approval to enter his clan’s personal shrine, he could’ve spent his whole life thinking of all the possibilities but this would never cross his mind. Neji looked at the closed paper doors embroidered with pretentious gold thread. One day, Neji thought, clans wouldn’t matter anymore. The highly valued clan bureau would be demolished, if not in his lifetime, for its pompous regality and egotistical mannerisms. Neji watched as a handful of servants scrammed from adjoining halls dusting nonexistent particles from display objects. He looked away back to the golden doors; he hated coming here.

Clans were coveted and protected only because they had special abilities that no one but their bloodline could ever inherit. Dividing the shinobi world into villages had already caused multiple wars and subdividing the villagers from special clans to commoners did not boast well. Neji hated that along with his own clan's ideals, but it was a fight he knew he couldn’t win, at least, not in this lifetime. And so he stood patiently in front of the snobby doors several feet away and waited for the official clan magistrate to appear if the man remembered he had to appear anyway. 

The doors opened without a creak at all, as expected from the pristine “palace-like” hall. The official clan magistrate ambled through the slowly opened doors without a care to the world. His eyes reflected that of a hazy dream and his body was buried with more than twelve layers of kimono from what Neji could tell. In his hand held nothing. Neji raised a brow. He was supposed to receive the key to his clan’s personal shrine along with a scroll detailing his authorization of using the said shrine. A blank expression was all that Neji could offer to the other man whose age was close to that of a forty-year-old. Coupled with the old man’s carefree gait, his widely protruding belly did not hesitate to make itself known. The monstrosity growled, calling for food to be inserted into the man’s mouth in that instant. Neji concluded that their handoff would be a rather shorter one compared to what he read in the collections of books provided by the Hyuuga’s Athenaeum. 

“Ah, the Hyuuga prodigy,” the man’s voice bellowed from the well of his throat. “I do apologize, I was—” his pupils rolled to the upper corner of his eyes and his hands gestured, suggesting he merely forgot this engagement. “—contemplating whether to postpone this meeting, but I’ve decided against it.” The man-made eyes contact with Neji, and for a split second, all of his muscles froze before he jerked right out of it. 

Neji wasn’t deterred by the man’s airy aura and merely bowed his head with a nod, “I do suppose there are other matters more fulfilling than having a meeting with me, Lord Sumi.” If the man canceled this meeting, it would have been the third time he had done so and there would be nothing that Neji could do about it. Spanning several months actually, Neji had been stalled with denaturing the customs and traditions of his clan precisely because of Lord Sumi. With each meeting, there required a handful of paperwork to be filled. When the meeting date is made, the paperwork would be filed and stored away. If Lord Sumi canceled the meeting, Neji needed to re-submit the same paperwork again. But since the older man had decided not to call off the meeting, that meant that the pre-filled paperwork stack on his desk could finally be thrown into the trash bin instead of taking space in his room. 

“Of course, well,” Lord Sumi cleared his throat loud and clear as it echoed throughout the hall. A small servant, a boy about the age of fifteen, trotted from behind the larger man with an exquisite wooden box in his tiny hands. He was just one year younger than Hanabi. “We should hurry, I have more important issues on hand.” 

The small boy shyly approached Neji and offered him the box to which he took from the tiny hands. The boy seemed malnourished, almost sickly if he were to judge negatively. “I’ll be sure to return the key without delay, Lord Sumi.”

“Don’t be too certain, young nobleman,” Neji met eyes with the older man as he spoke, “last season’s harsh weather had flooded the underground shrine. It is best that the holy place remained undisturbed. As such, nature shall dry its grounds with time, only then can you enter.”

Neji raised a questionable brow. If the shrine were to actually be flooded, removing it would be easy. Someone such as himself, with an affinity for water, would be able to transfer the water out of the shrine with ease. Neji gripped the wooden box with more vigor, “Flood can easily be removed, but if that is what must be done-”

“Indeed, it is what must be done,” Lord Sumi tacked on. “The basin underground is extremely fragile as time goes on. Removing just a drop of liquid from it would cause the shrine to crumble.” Neji blinked in uninterest as the man continued on, “not literally of course, but disturbing the ancestral shrine in such a way would cancel out the rites you are to perform inside.” Lord Sumi sighed and slowly rubbed his protruding belly. “I shouldn’t even have told you that— but off you go, I am quite drained from your archaic personality.”

Without a second to waste, Neji bowed to the man once more. He turned around, pushing aside the image of the frail boy with his box in hand.  _ Archaic _ ? Neji’s brow twitched as he paced the other direction toward the exit. Perhaps the Hyuuga’s old-fashioned demeanor had rubbed on him enough to the point where he wouldn’t know how to act anything other than archaic. He ought to change that, but only with someone particular in mind who would be able to witness it. As for the basin, Neji supposed what Lord Sumi said might have an inkling of truth in it. If he were to test out the shrine by removing the flood, he risked breaking the basin. Neji sighed and collect Sora by the large gate towering above them and headed straight back to the Hyuuga estate. He sighed internally and cursed at himself. He wished he had the ability to undo his mistakes if the basin did break.

.

.

“I could’ve done that for you,” Hanabi peeked in through to his studies as she passed by with Sora carrying both of their versions of books from the Athenaeum. 

Neji looked past his shoulders as he held the pre-filled paperwork in his arm. He was in the middle of putting away the key in a drawer. “I’ve got to be self-sufficient, and so do you,” he eyed Sora and his handful of books. 

Hanabi pursed her lips thinly and swiped Neji’s paperwork from his hand as he exited the studies room, “You’re still my older brother, an Heir, and the formalities still exist,” she held onto the item tightly. “Are you trying to abolish our clan’s poise and dignity as well?” Hanabi stormed off from him as Neji looked on. Sora hesitantly followed after her and Neji sighed in defeat. 

His younger cousin was one of the clan members who did not like change. Though she wanted to remove the customs of the curse mark, she never showed interest in all the other things that he wanted to adjust. She was born with status, power, and nobility, and Neji couldn’t fault her for not wanting to change things that she believed were not harmful to the clan. She was one of the many orchids closed to the public eye. Raised in seclusion and fed with only the purest of water, it was inevitable that she be blind to the effects of the world and people of the clan that become hurt because of these old traditions. Of all the people who wanted the clan’s ideals to remain unchanging, it had to be one of his cousins. With time and exposure to the outside world, Neji believed that maybe one day, Hanabi would see the good in what he was trying to do. For now, he had to bear with her cold shoulders and minimal conversations. Her tantrums increased the more she grew and Neji believed that it would be the contrary, as what anyone would think. Maturity and humbleness came with age if one allowed them to come. But in his younger cousin’s case, she had grown backward. 

Neji turned around and headed for the corridor that would lead him to the Hyuuga’s archives in the Athenaeum. He ought to refresh his memory of the layout of the ancestral shrine if he were to perform the rite soon. Just then, Hanabi’s voice echoed back to his ears, she called to him from afar, “Hinata and Naruto’s wedding date is at the end of this month.”

He turned around, unsure if he heard it correctly, “Is that so?”

“Naruto keeps saying that it can’t be in June, I’m pretty sure you know why.”

Neji did indeed. He strode down the corridor with two things in mind, one mostly overtaking the other. His cousin’s wedding would arrive in three weeks and the mission would follow directly after. Neji’s footsteps got heavier the closer it came to the dimly lit stair that dug down below the earth to the Athenaeum. He didn’t want to think about either of them and forced himself to walk down into the substructure. Neji wanted to occupy himself with anything related to his duties, and as he set out before Hanabi interrupted him, he wanted to look at the layout. 

However, looking at the layout in a windowless and massively large room did not bode well. Rolling out the large scroll against the lacquered table in the underground Athenaeum, Neji was lost in his own mind. He couldn’t focus nor want to focus on the long piece of paper and its intricate brush marks of the shrine layout. The lines were deceiving; they seemed to swirl and jag without warning. Of course, Neji’s mind was purposefully making the drawing of the outline that way. He made it as such so that he would have to dwell on the two things he didn’t want to think about. Neji knew what he was doing and he despised himself for that. 

Sitting on a lacquered chair that accompanied the set of the table, Neji ended up propping his elbow onto the surface and staring blankly at the incoherent drawing. Naruto wanted to marry his cousin before the end of May. He wanted to rush the preparations in order to do so. The months of careful planning that would go into a Hyuuga wedding were to be brushed aside in favor of a good week of outlining the wedding ceremony. Neji supposed that a small wedding would benefit the Uzumaki because of issues, moneywise, judging from the meager dowry he gave earlier. Neji supposed it would be good for Naruto, but he wanted to send off his cousin, his sister in a more extravagant manner. However, doing so would utilize more members of the clan’s help and he’d rather minimize their time spent on such a tiny family. Therefore, it would be fine with having the wedding toward the end of this month. It was just that, after this joyful event, a daunting one would proceed after that. 

Neji ended up sitting on this thought for much longer than he wanted to. The stale air underground suffocated him to no end. It was as if he purposefully imprisoned himself just so that he would face the issue head-on. That issue was constantly on her, on Tenten. He should have inquired a bit more about the final mission just so that he’d be able to weigh the prospects of having her return unscathed. However, Neji didn’t and there was no possible way he’d ever juxtapose himself next to the blinding Uzumaki right before his wedding and ask the man to hand over the details of the mission. He was no longer a shinobi, and as stated in the conditions that he signed to withdraw from serving the village, he had no right to probe into shinobi matters unless it involved him. Neji scribbled incoherent kanji letters onto a piece of paper for the sake of doing something, anything, to keep his mind running. He didn’t want to think of the worst outcome to her but it evidently came out. Should he pace around the substructure? Flip through a book mindlessly? Neji was never one to panic, but his heart was at unease. Shinobi missions had no relations to him, but it did because of her. 

Logically, the mission had nothing to do with him. Neji and Tenten weren’t bound by marriage nor the prospects of having one anytime soon. The only link between the two of them, that anyone could see was that they simply were cellmates from a while ago. However, Neji couldn’t help but keep his heart frantic because of her. Perhaps this was the first time that anyone relayed to him of what she was doing in regards to her shinobi duties that it spiked his heart rate. Sora never delved in on specific people and how they were doing; he was never that keen. And now that Neji knew she was going to be gone on a mission he couldn’t inquire about, he had become a lunatic just thinking about all the possibilities that might occur. 

Tapping the pen constantly to distract himself, Neji ended up biting his inner cheek as he thought about what he could do to ensure her safety. For her to return home the way she left, he needed to do more than just pleading for her safe return. Neji needed to see her again. He missed her. He missed her more now that he said it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while since I elaborated on Hyuuga affairs.  
> Clarification: All notable clans within Konoha have a clan shrine that is inaccessible to the common folk. The keys to these shrines are kept within the Clan Magistry. These shrines exist to offer new traditions or take out the old ones from the ancestry. They are sacred and can only be accessed by members belonging to said clan.  
> In order to add or take out customs/traditions without casting a bad omen onto all clan members, a rite or a ceremony must be performed. It shows the ancestors that the performer respectfully took the necessary steps in order to amend their clan.  
> All notable clans have an Athenaeum (Library). For example, the Nara's Athenaeum is a public library. while the Hyuuga's is underground inside their clan's compound and is inaccessible to the public.  
> The Clan Magistry exists to keep the notable clans in Konoha in check. Obviously, the Uchiha problem was out of their control and went straight to the Hokage. With peace slowly entering this era, the Clan Magistry has become condescending.


	63. An Overdue Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ino becomes irritated with Sai because he continues to stay beside her. She realizes how much she loves him.

Spring had gotten hotter with each year proceeding after the War. Ino turned the mini spinning fan to her face on the counter before resuming with her minor task. She threw in hunterbush stems into the mortar and referred back to the book. She groaned. She couldn’t concentrate with the humidity in the air. Ino set the mortar aside and pulled the fan closer to her face. “The conditioner was supposed to be fixed today,” she told the only other person in the room. Ino looked onwards to Sai. He was busy painting a picture of her daisies in the pot. “Sai, are you even listening?” 

“Yes, Ino.” 

Ino glared at him and sighed. She purposely opened the flower shop three hours after it was due to be closed because the conditioning air contractor said he’d be late. It was well after 7 pm and it looked like he won’t be coming. And it looked like the stuffy hot air won’t be leaving with the sun either. “Go home, I’m closing the shop.”

Sai veered toward her and set his brush down as Ino headed for the back room, “But the contractor isn’t here yet.”

“That is exactly why,” he heard her voice from the back room. 

Sai stood up from his stool and walked around the counter, “Let’s go home together, Ino.” He peered into the back room and found her clearing up the herbs she spread on the table earlier that afternoon. 

Ino grabbed a handful of Akashi tree barks and coiled a rubber band around it, “No, you go first. I’ll need to clean this up for tomorrow.” She paid him no attention and continued with her task. 

“But-”

“Just go home, Sai,” Ino pressed on. “I don’t even know why you keep staying around here.” Truthfully, she knew.

Sai thinned his lips. With nothing further to say, he stepped out of the back room. Ino’s breath hitched and she quietly listened for his footsteps but she heard none. When Ino heard the sound of her shop door clicked close, she blew her breath out and stopped fumbling with the herbs. 

Ino tucked her long bangs behind her ear and wiped the perspiration from her forehead. She hated when he was here. She hated that he lied to her and she hated that she didn’t see through his lie when he said it. 

Sai had only lied to her once. On that one special night, on that once beautiful morning, that day, Ino believed that what he said was true.  _ “I also don’t like you.” _ Ino believed him so wholeheartedly. Back then, three years ago when she was still the budding flower, she truly didn’t like him. And so when he replied back what she believed was his true feelings about her, she was sure that their untouched friendship would bloom. She truly believed they would become good friends. “Dates” with him weren’t really dates. Ino supposed she shouldn’t have called it that. 

_ “Shikamaru-san is getting married, why don’t we as well?”  _

Ino stared at the herbs on the table. Anger always boiled within her whenever she recalled what he said. Ino stormed out of the back room and roughly swiped the light switch off. She grabbed the ring of keys and caught a glimpse of his painting still left on the canvas. Ino’s eyes lit up at the painting: he indeed painted daisies, but she was the one holding them. The faint sketches of her uncanny face and form were yet to be painted. Ino huffed and reached for the door. 

_ “We’ve been going out for two years Ino, isn’t it enough of a reason for me to speculate more about what we have?” _

Ino locked the door and dashed across the street into the little corner market before it closed. She wanted a popsicle to cool her body heat. She pulled the glass door and froze. He was sitting at one of the counters with a popsicle in his mouth. He held out her favorite popsicle to her. Ino stared at the item in his hand, utterly pissed and unrest set in her chest. She brushed his gesture off and stormed to the back of the mini market to grab the same popsicle from freezer chest.  _ He knows me all too well. _ Ino walked back to the front where the friendly neighborhood man was standing at the register. “Here you go, Oji-san,” she placed two coins on to the counter

“No, thanks, Ino. It’s already been paid for,” he gestured to Sai who was still sitting at the table counter. 

Ino glanced at Sai awkwardly, “Oh,” she murmured. She took back the coins, “Goodnight, Oji-san.” On her way out, she couldn’t help but make it clear to Sai her disdain for him. She glared at him with her scornful eyes but he only gave back a tender look. She hated that look. 

_ “Truthfully, I’ve always liked you, and now, you’ve become someone I undeniably love.” _

Messily opening the wrapper, Ino bit on the popsicle to keep her head cool. She hated that she always ended up thinking about what he said at the end of every day. And tomorrow, he’d return to the flower shop and finish his painting. He’d linger around to keep her company with his mere presence for the hours that weren’t moving. 

Ino bit the last of her popsicle and gripped the stick tightly. She hated that she still wanted his company around her after rejecting his proposal. 

They were twenty now. The platonic relationship, the friendship she thought she had with Sai ended last year. Yet as they moved on to reach the age of twenty, nothing seemed to change. Ino snapped the stick and threw it into a nearby trash can. She shook her head to rid of her thoughts but it was to no avail. She hated that everything remained the same but she’s changed. 

_ “We’re just friends, Sai. We were always friends.” _ Now, Ino wasn’t so sure if they were still friends. She hated that she was considering her feelings for him. 

Sai wasn’t the right person for her. As much as she wanted to believe what Tenten said about her soulmate being an artist or whatnot, Ino knew that it couldn’t be Sai. She didn’t want her soulmate to be a shinobi. Even in the era of peace, even in a time like this where she hadn’t received a single mission, she did not want to believe for one second that Sai and she could ever come together. What if there came a day when they were both put in the battlefield? Instead of fighting to stay alive, she’d be worried sick for him on the battlefield. 

Ino stopped walking and felt her heartstrings being strung with every thought of him. She wished for it to remain quiet. If he heard her, she won’t be able to keep these conflicting feelings to herself. Ino brought her fist to her chest, feeling her heart pounding loudly. She bit her lower lip. Love was quite bitter to her taste buds. 

“Ino, let’s get married.” 

His voice sounded so real to her ears. “Tch,” she hated that he was so prominent in her mind. 

Marriage was something she’d want to do someday. When she saw Temari in her dress standing next to her annoyingly lazy teammate, she cried. She cried because she was able to send Shikamaru off to a beautiful woman to whom she could trust. But it was precisely because marriage was something she wanted to do someday that she ought to worry about other things. The world was spinning and it included not only her but others as well. 

When Temari stood beside Shikamaru, Tenten was beside Ino instead, caressing her as she tried to wipe off her tears. That woman, that twin-bunned woman only had shining stars in her eyes. Despite having so much hope to see her lover, that Hyuuga prodigy, to have him appear at Shikamaru’s wedding and finding out that he won’t be attending, she still held a beautiful grin on her face. No one would know how strong that woman was on the inside.  _ “Even if I have to wait until our wedding to see him, I wouldn’t mind.” _ Tenten’s words struck Ino as unbelievably insane. But that’s what love does to people; it made them insane. And for her, for Ino, she was beginning to experience the onslaught of that insanity. Sai’s voice rang through her head over and over. 

“Ino,” she felt a presence softly touch her shoulder, “let’s get married.”

Ino swung around, realizing that his voice wasn’t just in her head. “Sai!” she was devastated. His expression was so gentle, like a child in his sleep. Ino couldn’t belt anything else but his name. She said it herself, if he heard her heartstrings, she’d have no way to keep her feelings to herself. 

“I can’t be wrong about my feelings for you, Ino. I know there’s a part in you that tells me you feel the same way as I do,” Sai carefully placed his other hand on her other shoulder and leaned slightly closer to her, “Your eyes tell me a totally different story from your actions.”

Her breath hitched. She should have looked away but everything in her body told her not to. He was right, every inch of her being wished she hadn’t rejected him. But she had her reasons to do so and now the balance had tipped to his favor. “Sai,” she breathlessly called to him. “If I marry you, and we get put into situations out there-” her hands slowly rose up to remove his touch on her shoulders, “you won’t be safe. You won’t be in the village far from harm, you’ll be in danger. How am I supposed to fight out there and not be reassured that I’ll come home to you?”

Sai hurried to interlock her their hands. A meekish smile perched on his lips, “If you want me far from harm, all you have to do is ask, Ino.” 

Ino’s tears began to well in her eyes. He said things so easily, so readily, and so believably. She was always gullible to anything he said. 

“I can’t guarantee I’ll do it all the time, but for you, to have you beside me, I’ll compromise,” Sai softly spoke to her. 

Ino wiped her tears before they could fall. She hadn’t invited him to do the same but he did so as well. “All we’ve done is go on dates. We haven’t even kissed yet.”

“That can happen right now if you want it to, Ino,” Sai told her. 

Ino frowned at him before a smile crept to her lips, “Do you even know how to kiss?”

“I’ve read from books.”

“That doesn’t mean anything.”

“I’d like to kiss you.”

“Then kiss me,” Ino never strayed from his gaze. She tiptoed to him, testing to see if he’d do what he said he would. Sai slowly leaned down and planted a haughty and slimy kiss onto her lips. She was taken aback, unsure if even she knew how to properly kiss him back. 

Sai’s arms wrapped themselves around her back and roughly pulled her inward. He was more demanding than she believed him to be. Ino managed to wedge her forearms to in between them to stop him. She couldn’t breathe at all. “S-Sai, s-stop,” she whispered. Sai abruptly halted the kiss and drew back but his grasp on her body remained. 

Ino wiped his saliva from around her orifice and frowned at him, “What was that for?”

Sai simpered, “For not being able to kiss you for three years.”

Ino chuckled, feeling heat rush to her cheeks and ears. “You keep asking me to marry you whenever someone gets married.”

“And you pick up on these things because?”

“Because it has to do with you,” Ino replied. “Naruto is getting married this month, but next month, he, Tenten, and Sakura will be leaving on the final mission. I don’t know when they’ll be back, so we’ll just have to get married whenever they return.”

Sai merely nodded, “It’ll be more cheerful to have all of our friends at our wedding.”

“It will.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick Note: Naruto proposed to Hinata at the beginning of May and their wedding will take place toward the end of the month. The events of this chapter occurred within that timeframe.


	64. Hair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final mission has to be amended to save Naruto. Neji gives the last promise to Tenten.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's Naruto's wedding day.

The wedding banquet took place far from the Hyuuga compounds. It was a tiny room, rented for just two hours for the little crowd to give their speeches to the couple. Neji looked onward as his cousin happily sat beside the whiskered man. He was proud, perhaps even relieved that he was able to send her off to someone he knew and trusted. From the seats, he watched as the couple sat on chairs on the tiny platform, a mini stage per se, as Sakura gave her speech to them. He gripped the hand beside him tightly, Tenten was next to him.

She wore a long mauve cheongsam; the collar fitted her slender neck like an armor. Her chin hooked on his shoulder as they both watched the pink-haired woman give her speech. But with every second passing by, Neji couldn’t focus on what was being said to his cousin and her husband. The attending crowd, the friends they’ve all come to know, even Tenten, laughed and giggled along with the speech, but he couldn’t do the same. Neji was simply immersed in the future that held them. Soon, there would be a day for them where they’d be the couple sitting on that stage and her eyes would be glistening, smiling, and laughing. Instead of looking out to the stage, they’d be the ones to sit at the center, and they’d be so happy.

“Please Hinata, Naruto, may you both live for a very long time,” Sakura glanced tenderly toward Naruto. He returned her a thumbs up, it was a promise of a lifetime. She stepped down from the stage and returned to her seat beside her teammates Sai and Sasuke.

“Anyone else wanna have a go?” Iruka asked aloud. There was no one left to say a few words. “Alrighty then, let’s eat!”

Wine glasses clinked and dinnerware hit the ceramic plates as the rowdy noises settled down. Neji mildly let his sight run astray toward Tenten. He did not want to make it obvious how much he enjoyed having her right next to him even though it was evidently so, judging from the permanent smile on his lips that appeared the moment they joined one another in the banquet. And so he merely kept his eyes on her moving wrists, watching her hands meticulously cut the meat in front of her. Neji missed all the things he used to do with her. He missed sparring with her, watching her marksmanship, and simply just talking with her. All of these things would soon fade away, but not the image of her. And with her departure soon, Neji wished having her beside him for just a little longer would pull him through just a few more years so that he could finalize everything in his clan for her.

Neji leaned toward her as desserts poured in, “Do you have a minute after this?”

Tenten suppressed a grin and she turned her head to him, “Always.” He leaned back, earning a cunning brow from Kiba sitting across from him. Neji didn’t bat an eye at all and simply returned to his dessert.

For the few minutes that remained, Neji pulled Tenten aside from the banquet room to an adjoining hall. He wanted to catch up on the things he’d missed, especially on the woman that Lee brought over. In the muffled silence from the main common room, Neji finally stopped walking and turned to her. “Tenten-”

Tenten hurriedly hugged him. She buried her face into his kimono and fastened her grip on him. Neji responded back with just as much intensity. “I missed you,” he heard her say.

Neji’s heartbeat skipped once and he finally released his composure. “I missed you too.” Gently, he rocked her in his arms side by side. “I saw the Lotus of Sun Wen, it was beautiful just as you are.”

“I wanted you to see it,” she muffled and turned her head to the side, letting her cheek rest on his chest. “I’m glad that you've seen it.”

Standing in the dark, a dimly lit hallway to be exact, Neji coveted Tenten until the last of their minutes were spent. “And that was how they met,” her voice trailed off.

Neji chuckled and pulled her off from him, “Lee will be happy with her.” He gave her a simper and she returned the same smile. They both knew that they weren’t so lucky to be the same as their friends. And with the exchange of a sad smile juxtaposed with the hope in their eyes, all that they could do was to trust one another that they would be fine.

“When will you leave for the mission,” Neji asked her. He drew circles on the curve of her neck, remembering the multiple ways he’d kissed this part of her body.

Tenten pouted and her brows scrunched up. “Next week.” Her head lowered down and her gaze left him. “It’ll be a while before I return, but when I do, and when you’re ready, let’s get married, hm?”

Neji laughed, not because he believed she was ridiculous, because if she was, then he would be too. He laughed because optimism was all that they had left. “I’ll work hard so that we’ll be able to.” Neji lifted her chin and brought her eyes back to him. “I love you, if there were better ways to tell you this, let me know.”

“There is no better way to tell me this, only that it’s from you,” her sad smile appeared again.

Neji wished to see this smile again, but only that it be more radiant than sorrowful. With his cold lips, he planted a chaste series of kisses onto her own before parting. “On the day that you set out to leave, I will meet with you and gift you something of mine. I’ve yet to gift to you any present as meaningful as the instrument you gave me, or the sword you gave me. But until then, you must anticipate it.”

“But you’ve given me everything, Neji.”

“It’s a gift to ensure the future,” Neji told Tenten. Exiting the banquet, Neji released her hand when he saw Sora standing beside Naruto, Hinata, and Sasuke. “I will see you soon,” he told her.

Tenten watched as Neji descended the flight of stairs. The boy handed him his coat and they went about their way. She hurried down to join Naruto when Hinata beckoned her. “What is it?”

“We’re leaving tonight,” Naruto turned to her. “The Land of Waves just suffered a massive flood due to the changing tides and we must go as soon as possible.”

Tenten’s eyes strained and she briefly glanced in the direction where Neji went. “Understood, I’ll get my things ready before the sun sets. Does Sakura know?”

“She’s packing as we speak.”

“Alright, Naruto. I’ll see you at the gates.”

Naruto turned to Hinata just as Sasuke was about to leave. “I’m sorry, Hinata. Today was supposed to be our day.”

“It’s okay, Naruto-kun,” Hinata reassured him.

“No, it’s not okay. It wasn’t supposed to be like this-”

Sasuke’s jaw tightened as he walked away from the two of them. Perhaps seeing his friend in such a dilemma had churned his mind into disarray. Sasuke blew a puff of air and leaped up onto a building. He was going to regret his next decision.

.

.

“Where is Naruto?” Sakura asked Tenten. The latter shrugged. Ten minutes had passed by without the blonde’s appearance. “We’re supposed to set off by now.” Underneath the village gate’s arch, both women stood idly and impatiently.

“Naruto won’t be coming,” Sasuke sped toward them in a haste. “Let’s go.”

Sakura was taken aback, “Why are you here?”

“I’ve switched with Naruto.”

“Did you even get permission?” Sakura asked.

Sasuke stopped walking and looked at her with an unmoving expression, “The mission requires a Hero of Konoha and I qualify as one.”

“Barely,” Sakura murmured under her breath. “Well then, we need to get going.” Sakura walked past Tenten, following closely at Sasuke’s heels.

Tenten took in a deep breath and turned around to follow them. _“Some things aren’t just meant to happen,”_ she thought to herself. She concluded that she’ll just have to receive Neji’s gift to her when she returned.

“Tenten!”

Her heart stopped and she turned around. Sakura and Sasuke halted from their moves and turned around as well. Tenten snapped her head back to the white figure approaching her. “Neji,” her word was faint. Neji rushed toward her and collided harshly to her body, embracing her with all of his might. Tenten caught her breath and rose her arms to hug him. “I’m sorry, I didn’t have time to tell you we’ve-”

“It’s okay,” he whispered. Neji parted from her and his breaths eased into a rhythm. He looked into her eyes, her orbs drew in the light of the moon. If it were not for Hinata relaying the message to Hanabi and onto him, he would have missed her. Neji rushed to see her, forgetting the present he prepared for her. “My present, I forgot it but— it’s a ring, for you to keep but I-”

“Slow down, Neji,” Tenten shook him. She grinned, grateful to see him before she goes, “I’m just glad you’re here.”

“We have to move,” Sasuke’s voice interrupted them. Sakura’s brows furrowed and she nudged him, catching his attention.

“Please, it’ll only take a minute,” Neji asked.

Sakura glared at Sasuke, “For once, can you extend your compassion to someone else other than Naruto?” Sasuke scoffed and turned around. Sakura grabbed the hem of his coat and dragged him toward past the arch.

“What’s going to take a minute?” Tenten asked.

Neji took a step away from her and held a hand out to her, “Please lend me a kunai.” Tenten raised a brow before complying. She removed the weapon from her back satchel and placed it onto his hand. Neji gripped the kunai tightly. He held in a breath and he clasped the ends of his hair in his hand.

Tenten’s eyes widen, realizing what he was going to do, “Wait, don’t!” Her panicked tone caught Sakura and Sasuke’s attention. With one swift movement, Neji cut his hair right above the white ribbon that held all his strands together. Tenten gasped, “What are you doing?!”

_“How come all Hyuuga people have long hair?” Tenten asked Neji. it was their second day appointed into Team Gai. Each student sat on the tree stumps in the middle of the field as they waited for Gai-sensei to arrive, “Why don’t you guys cut it off?”_

_He didn’t look her way and Lee took an interest in the conversation. Neji crossed his arms and paused for a minute, “Because it’s a symbol of respect to yourself and to your clan. But of course, neither of you wouldn’t know.”_

“Because-” Neji returned her kunai to her and proceeded to grab her other hand, “you’re my woman.” He placed his secured bundle of hair onto her palm and closed her fingers around them.

“But you said-”

“I know what I said, Tenten.” Neji smiled to her, “But there was more I didn’t say. It is a part of my body, as treasured as it is, it is a gift of a lifetime. The other thing about my hair is that, well, my love for you is just as meaningful as my hair and its meaning to the clan. When we get married, we'll be bound by the hair as husband and wife. Though we're not supposed to cut our hair, because you're parting from me, this is the only thing I can give you right now. So you must return it to me.”

Tenten was speechless and she gripped both items in her hands tightly. “Neji, how can I return your gift back in one piece? What if I lose a strand?”

“It doesn’t matter to me, as long as you return it to me along with yourself, with your own two hands, it’ll be fine with me. Even if you’ve only one strand of my hair left, it’ll be fine.”

Tenten sighed and put his bundle of hair in her vest pocket for the time being. “Neji,” she placed the kunai in between her teeth and she began to undo one of her hair buns, “doing what you just did-” She held a piece of her wavy hair in front of her and grabbed the kunai from her mouth. Tenten slashed a curl of her hair and placed the kunai back into her back satchel. “What you did, you just made an oath to marry me. Hand out your hand to me,” she told him. Neji did as he was told and Tenten carefully settled her curls onto his palm.

His smile widened as he looked at her hair protruding out of his fist, “I promise to marry you.”

“Keep the promise,” Tenten replied, “I will marry you, Neji. I love you.” She began to redo her hair bun as she walked backward from him, “Our minute is up! Until then, goodbye!”

Neji watched as she disappeared with her team into the darkness of the night. “Goodbye,” he whispered.


	65. Lake of a Thousand Lotuses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke, Sakura, and Tenten, along with six other peace shinobi try to stop the dam from spilling water and save the Land of Waves' villagers down the valley.

Naruto was misinformed of the details; it wasn’t due to the changing tides at all. The sudden flood was caused by the Land of Wave’s main dam unable to take in the massive influx of rain pour due to the rainy season. The main dam broke and unleashed rapid whitewater down to the smaller three dams before it scurried toward the village. When Sasuke, Sakura, and Tenten arrived, rain poured relentlessly as the flood nearly drowned the tips of the land leveled roofs of the village. Sasuke hurried to save as many people as he could along with the “peace shinobi” who were dispersed from their land of origin to help relieve the calamity. Sakura made her way to the medical area set up high above the sea level, carrying two children in her arms. Villagers, young and old were pried from the rapids. Those two were the firsts to experience the onslaught of the flood did not make it. 

Peace shinobi with specialties tried their best to block the water. Those with an affinity for earth tried to summon a new dam to contain the water but there were only so few. Sasuke realized that there were only them and two other groups that came here. Only two shinobi had earth affinity. None of them had water affinity. “Tch, if Naruto was here, he’d summon his hundreds of clones in no time,” he thought to himself.

“I know what you’re thinking, Sasuke!” Tenten yelled at him from behind as he pulled up a mother.

“My child! She’s stuck!” The mother choked up water as she relayed the message to Sasuke. 

Sasuke looked at Tenten with much discontent. “Naruto isn’t here! Thinking about him won’t do anything!” she bellowed as she summoned a large scroll. 

“Hang on,” Sasuke brushed aside Tenten’s comment as he carried the mother to a nearby rooftop. The rapids underneath his feet made it harder to achieve the minute dash. All the while, the mother’s scream ran rampant in his ears. 

“Hak!” Tenten huffed as she slammed her palm onto the blank seal on her scroll. Instantly, the flood in the village disappeared. Sasuke lost his footing and began to fall down to the ground. He quickly adjusted himself and landed on his feet. Sasuke began searching for the child. Meanwhile, more water was leaking from the makeshift earth barrier dam the two shinobi were busy maintaining. Tenten sped toward them as she carried the large scroll up to the rocky mountain. “Keep it up!” she encouraged them. She needed to level the dam water just enough so that the water would be below the area where the dam was cracked. Just as she hit the summit of the skyscraping dam, a whole section of the dam crumbled. Like a broken bowl of soup, the dam released all of its contents without holding back. Sasuke’s eyes widened as he saw the impending doom heading straight toward them. He quickly pulled the child out from under tree rubble, realizing that the child was already dead. Regardless, he carried the lifeless body back to the mother and carried them both far up the hill. There were more people he needed to save, but he needed to warn Sakura right away. 

“Sakura!” Sasuke yelled as he burst into the drenched opened tent with the mother and child in his arms. He set them down and pulled on her shoulder, “We need to evacuate them, now!”

Sakura ignored him and hurried past him to retrieve a coughing child from a peace shinobi that trailed behind. “I don’t have time for-” her sentence was stopped midway when she witnessed the massive white waterfall descending down swiftly down the valley. She never even held the child once, “Oh god,” Sakura turned around and tried to keep her head calm. “Everyone, we need to-”

“It’s coming!” a peace shinobi howled. Sasuke and Sakura looked back to the man and onto the cascading current. 

Without thinking, Sasuke immediately pulled her to him, “Don’t look at it,” he told her. Sakura didn’t know what to think or what to feel. All that her eyes focused on was just him. For once, she did what he told her to do. Sasuke’s eyes stared at the rapids as the first drop hit his cheek. For some reason, he thought it was beautiful, the descending waterfall that is. For all the things he lacked, they were apparent now. 

The dead child in his arms, the wailing mother in the background, the countless lives he had lost because he wasn’t fast enough, quick enough to react to the situation, it was apparent now at how much he was inadequate at leading a team. Everything happened all too fast. There were too many lives in peril, too many screams for help, and too many choices to make. Choices ranging from which person to save, which one would it take less to spend energy on before moving on the next, at what point could he summon a larger entity to protect them; it was all too much. He just lost sight of his other teammate, someone who had a certain Hyuuga waiting for her to return safely and soundly, but he couldn’t even do it. He couldn’t even keep her safe for a mere second. Now, all that came to his mind was the panicky feeling in his chest. 

Sasuke didn’t know why he pulled Sakura into his chest. He knew it wouldn’t benefit either of them, yet he still did it. She wouldn’t be safe in his arms, neither of them would. Sasuke felt her forehead touch his chest, and for a fleeting moment, he got a gist of why he did what he did. Somewhere in the vast labyrinth of his emotions, there laid his untouched feelings for her. The second drop of water hit him harder this time because he knew that they’d probably perish here even though they could choose to leave all these villagers at this moment. But they didn’t and they knew it wasn’t right to do so. The relentless rainfall didn’t seem so harsh after all now that the third drop of water from the massive rapids hit his face. Sasuke closed his eyes and pulled Sakura into his arms. He hugged her for the first time and it probably would be their last. “It will come anytime now,” he whispered as he waited for the hit to wash them all away. 

Tenten overlooked the depth of the dam and blew out a breath. She quickly made several hands signals and unraveled her scroll into the sky. Biting both her thumbs, she hastily redrew a larger and more complicated seal to match the body of water she was going to confine. Her hands moved in unison to one another, conjuring characters and symbols all at once. 

The sound of a disappearing summoning cloud crackled loudly into the sky louder than thunder striking his ears. Sasuke opened his eyes and the body in his arms veered toward the mountainous region. Sakura let out a deep breath, “It disappeared!” 

Reality hit Sasuke harder now that their impending doom had averted. He quickly unlocked his arms from her as she immediately disregarded whatever implications that embrace came with and began to tend to the injured. Sasuke sucked in all the pouring emotion dissipating into the rain and resumed his original occupation. He jumped back down to the muddied village, now trying to pull people out of the mud. 

A thud echoed into Sasuke’s ear as he managed to pry an elderly out from the rubble of his own home. He glanced to the person, realizing that it was Tenten. “Thanks,” was all that he said. 

“The dam will need repair,” Tenten took over for Sasuke and carried the elderly. “Don’t thank me yet.”

.

.

Sasuke examined the damage in the dam as Tenten stood beside him atop the said structure. Four of the six peace shinobi were up there with them. Looking at the damage, the main dam acted as a basin, situated in between three mountains where rainfall would collect. There were two other dams that were a part of the dam that towered over the Land of Wave’s village. All these three dams were considered the main dam with their own respective names: East Dam, West Dam, and North Dam. The East Dam faced the village while the other two had no human inhabitants in the way. The East dam was the smallest Dam out of the three, thus did not require smaller dams to fortify and protect the village in the case that a disaster such as this would occur. The other two main dams were larger and had three or four other smaller dams as control. 

“Looks like we’ll be here for a while,” Tenten commented as she surveyed the concrete rubble that amassed from the section of the East dam that broke off. 

“We’ll be here for two weeks and then we’ll have to go,” Sasuke added. 

Tenten nodded, “That is, if the dam gets fixed until then. All of the Land of the Wave’s spring water is in my scroll, I can’t just take it. I need to deposit it back here.”

Sasuke turned to her and stared at her. For a few seconds, he judged her demeanor. He wondered what the Hyuuga find so intriguing about her because right now, she was annoying him the most. The empty dam was slowly filling up with rainwater from the mountains and she was more worried about releasing the water back into it. He decided not to say anything to her and jumped back down to the drenched and muddy medical unit. 

Tenten watched him go and shifted her mind back onto the situation at hand. “Can you fortify the holes temporarily?”

“Yes.”

Sasuke didn’t seem too happy about prolonging their stay here and Tenten knew why. The man didn’t even want to trade his place with Naruto in the first place but had done so only because he was his friend. If he was adamant on leaving in two weeks, then she’ll have to reseal the same body of water in her large scroll onto seals so that the summoner would be able to bypass her own special realm and access the element themselves since her scrolls had her own signature barrier. 

It was miserable at night. Sasuke couldn’t sleep at all because there was no sun to dry his clothes. The raincoat he donned became useless the moment he began helping villagers out of the water. Coupled with mud all over him, he was simply miserable. The night was cold and he wasn’t fairing well. The conditions in the Land of Waves were beginning to get better with nightfall but everyone was getting tired. They had no way of drying futons nor blankets and the rain refused to stop. Food became a problem as well. Crops were destroyed by the flood and villagers were beginning to get hungry. Depressing as it was, Sasuke briefly strayed from the medical tent where most villagers were to take a well-deserved breather but even he couldn’t have that. Just as he stood at the cliff that looked down the muddied village, Tenten came and stood beside him. 

“Dry firewood is draining, Sakura asked me to tell you to come with me and collect some in the outskirts,” her eyes scanned the horizon of the trees surrounding the village and the mountains instead of the calamity below. 

“Why did you even mention Sakura?”

“She said you’d do it because the orders are coming from her.”

Sasuke side-eyed Tenten and he then glared at Sakura trying to find a way to shelter one of the five campfires from the pouring rain. His eyes landed back onto Tenten realizing how drenched she was compared to him. She had given her coat to a villager, “You must be tired. I’ll go alone.”

“I have more stamina than you, Sasuke. You seemed more bummed than me, you go rest,” Tenten flashed him a confident smile before crossing her arms. Sasuke looked on as raindrops fell from the tip of her nose. She looked on as heavy raindrops from the sky hit her eyelids, causing her to wince and blink almost simultaneously. “I only asked you because I did what I was told. Stay here and make sure everyone is safe.” Sasuke watched as she jumped down the cliff and disappeared into the forests. He couldn’t say anything. 

He was wrong about her, about Tenten. He hadn’t thought about it now, but now that it came to him, Sasuke could finally see what was so special about the ordinary woman whose specialty dealt with meager weapons. He recalled seeing the massive structure, the lotus petals that whirled outside Konoha’s gates on that day. That woman had more potential than he imagined. Just from the brief conversations with Tenten, Sasuke now recognized the nuances that made her so endearing to the Hyuuga prodigy. In her mind, it was so simple. If the task was to spar, she’d probably spar away. And if the task was to save the villagers like today, she’d go at any lengths to make sure it happened even at the cost of her life. She was someone who took action, who would never wait unless she was told to do so, unlike him who gave up on trying to save himself. Had he stopped her from doing her thing, stopped her from sealing the rapids in her scroll, they’d all be dead. Then again, Sasuke didn’t really know to what extent Tenten could do. All that he knew about her was that she was a member of Team Gai, a lover to the certain Hyuuga prodigy, and friend to the green beast of Konoha, Lee. Before he could continue, Sasuke felt a hard push on his right shoulder. He lost his balance and almost fell into the valley. 

“I told you to go with Tenten and you’re just standing here!” Sakura yelled at him. 

Sasuke frowned and turned around, heading for the tents, “She said you forced her to ask me to help her.”

Sakura scoffed and furiously put her hands on her hips as she stomped after him, “If anything happens to her out there I will not hesitate to kill you.” Sakura walked away from him, causing Sasuke to turn her way. “You’ve no literal compassion for anyone.”

Swiftly, Sasuke turned around and crossed his arms under his coat. He sighed and ambled to lean on the tent leg.  _ “You’ve no idea how much more I’m willing to give you if you let me, Sakura.” _

_. _

_. _

“Get inside the tent or you’re going to get sick, Tenten,” Sasuke overheard Sakura talking to her. He shrugged them off and continued to keep watch for anything that might pose danger. 

“Hold on, just one more-” the drywood finally caught on fire and Tenten blew onto it to make it grow. When the fire grew sizable, Tenten rose up and walked to Sakura. “I should probably switch with Sasuke and keep watch while he rests. He doesn’t look like he’s in a good mood.”

“Neither do you,” Sakura pulled her into the tent anyway. “You’re gonna get sick if you keep standing in the rain.”

Tenten pouted and tugged herself from Sakura playfully, “But I have a stronger immune system than you both.”

“You don’t know that.”

“No, you don’t know what Lee catches as spread onto Neji and I, Sakura,” Tenten bit back. 

“You’ve done enough, Tenten,” Sakura yanked her back into the tent. “You’ve prepared more tents than I imagined, gave out more blankets than I can count, and even ventured out to get firewood, so get some rest!” 

Tenten groaned and ended up squatting in the mud to free herself from Sakura’s banter. “I feel like I haven’t done enough.”

Sakura growled and grabbed the hem of her coat, “Stand up will you?” Tenten looked up and slowly stood up. Sakura began to dry her face, “I’m just really worried for you right now, Tenten. It’s not normal for anyone to be out in the rain this long and be fine.”

“Trust me, Sakura,” Tenten reassured her. She faced out to the pouring rain, “My team and I, sometimes when it rains, we purposefully train all day and night just to strengthen our immune system. And when we’re too tired to fight, we just stand there and let every droplet hit us. In order to overcome our weaknesses, in order to get stronger, and strangely as it was, this was one of our methods to strengthen ourselves.” Tenten turned to Sakura and quickly placed her palm onto the women’s forehead, “You should worry about yourself, you knew you’re beginning to have a fever and yet you insist on tending to them.”

Upon hearing that Sakura was sick, Sasuke turned around. He wondered if there were medicine anywhere in this disaster. 

“Get some rest and don’t get up until you see the sun,” Tenten told Sakura.

“There is no sun here, Tenten,” Sakura replied. The dark clouds had shielded the sun from being seen ever since they entered the Land of Waves’ territory. 

“I know!” Tenten cheerfully told her. “Tomorrow, we’ll need your help even more. I need you to regain your strength—health-wise,” she quickly added. She began to head out of the tent much to Sakura’s dismay. 

“Where are you going now?”

Tenten pointed to Sasuke, “I’m gonna get him here to watch over you.” Sakura scoffed and crossed her arms at her. Tenten shrugged and approached him, “It’s my turn to keep watch now.”

“There are no shifts for you to cover, go back inside the tent.”

Tenten’s mouth soured before they curved upward, “Okay. Since you’re keeping watch, I’ll have a chance to go find medicine.”

Sasuke immediately parted from leaning on the tent pole now that she’s piqued his interest, “Medicine?”

She nodded and held out an herbal book Ino gifted to her as a present for her birthday not too long ago, “We can trade jobs if you want.” Sasuke’s eyes narrowed at the cunning woman before snatching the book from her hand. He then jumped off the cliff and into the forests.

“You lied to me,” Sakura yelled from her tent.

“About what?” Tenten asked.

“He left!” 

“I didn’t say when he’s gonna come watch over you!”

Sakura bit her lower lip and swiftly turned around. No matter how depressing the situation was, there was at least one thing she should look forward to, even if it would never happen.

.

.

The two weeks were up and the three of them slowly walked out from the Land of Waves. Tenten passed by an oddly familiar lake. Her eyes lingered on the dead grey surface water as the dark clouds hovered above them.  _ Aha! _ Tenten now recalled this place. “Hey, Sakura, have you heard of the Lake of a Thousand Lotuses?”

Sakura looked back to her trailing behind them as Sasuke kept forward, “I’ve heard about it, why?”

“It’s right here!” Tenten pointed to the lake beside them. 

Sakura and Sasuke glanced at the lifeless and colorless lake and back to her, “Really?” Sakura asked.

“Mmhm!” Tenten excitedly replied. “It was beautiful here. The lake was shrouded in pink of various colors, including white and red, and blue! It used to be so beautiful here.” Her smile died to a simper. “The flood had buried all of the beauty this place used to hold.”

“Indeed,” Sakura responded. “This must’ve been an enchanting place.” 

Tenten nodded in agreement, “Lee and I came here once. It really was enchanting, almost mystical if we came here at night.”

“What did you two do here?” Sakura asked. 

Tenten recalled the favorable memory. “We picked out lotuses that resembled each other. We promised to come back to this place with Neji, back then. We wanted to show him the lotus we picked for him.”

“That sounds fun!” Sakura slowed down her pace so that she could walk with Tenten side by side. “What lotus was yours?”

“Mine was the Lotus of Sun Wen,” Tenten told Sakura. “It was slightly pink at the tip of its twenty-five petals. Lee’s is the Red Lotus in Shuhong and Neji’s is the White Lotus from Lushan.” She sighed, “It’s been such a long time, we were so young then.”

Sakura looked at Tenten as she reminisced the old memories here. She wondered where and at what point in time did Tenten ever began to sort her feelings for her teammate because right now, at this point in time, it was getting more difficult for her to hold back her initial feelings for her own teammate. Sakura’s eyes meekly rose to stare at the back of the man walking in front of them. She wished she had the courage to confront him about what he did. His genuine hug was still fresh in her mind. Walking past the lake, Sakura spotted a lotus sprout in her path. She picked it up and held it close to her heart. For a moment, she stood there alone as Tenten continued walking.  _ “I’ll put my faith in you, if my feelings grow enough, I’ll know you’ve bloomed.” _ Sakura threw the seedling sprout into the murky water and hurried to catch up to her team members. She vowed to return to this place to choose a lotus for herself.


	66. Murky Waters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tenten gives Sasuke advice on how to confess to Sakura.

“It’s an allegory for whatever you’re going through,” Tenten told Sasuke. 

“Don’t use big words on me,” he replied back. Sasuke decided to accompany Tenten on her short run to stock up on items she used up or gave away as they traversed the Lands. It’s been about two months since they’ve deployed from Konoha and she needed to restock on her tools. “Don’t tell me you’re using our village’s money to buy those weapons.”

Tenten picked up a bow staff and looked at it before setting it down, “Don’t change the subject.” She glanced him staring at her unusually. “So tell me, why do you feel like you’re in a place where you can’t see your future?” Sasuke wouldn’t spit it out and Tenten shrugged off his whole inquiry. “Well, I don’t have the time to pester you to tell me,” she began to speed walk straight toward the food area of the Land of Grass’ food market. She was never really keen on giving advice to people. And for someone like Sasuke whom she barely knew anything about, Tenten would rather not bother him to give up information about himself. 

Sasuke sighed in defeat and followed after her. For a while now, he’d been thinking about that night when his body acted on his own and hugged Sakura. He knew he shouldn't think much of it but at the end of the day, it became harder to resist not to because she was always in his peripherals. He was sure something else had to be the reason why Sakura clouded all his thoughts. And for some idiotic reason, he had to confide in the prodigy’s woman of all people. 

After Tenten sealed the nonperishable food into her tiny scroll and placed it into her hip holster, Sasuke finally found the right time to confess. “I think it’s murky because it’s missing something,” he slowly tried to clue her in. Sasuke didn’t want to blatantly state it out that he had a crush on the woman who used to have a crush on him. 

Tenten placed her hands on her hips as she continued on walking, “Like what?” She was half-heartedly paying attention. Tenten was more focused on searching for a pouch. 

“I don’t know, goggles?” Sasuke wasn’t sure if what he said was right, but he liked to think that Sakura was like his goggles that made it easier to see in the murky waters. She’d probably make his future brighter and clearer and that would be what he wanted to say if he wasn’t so cowardly in admitting it. 

“Well, Sasuke, why don't you just swim up to the surface and look at your future?” She passed by an antique stall and halted. Something caught her eye. “I’m sure it’s better to walk on water than to swim.”

“You know I really hate you right now,” Sasuke hissed at her. What she said didn’t even make sense to him. She was the one who brought up the allegory of murky waters and he was running with it. And now she just told him to start walking on water. 

“I wonder if Sakura will like these,” Tenten turned to Sasuke and held out a pair of jade earrings to him, “they match her eyes.” 

They did, and Sasuke wasn’t happy about it because she wasn’t listening to his plight at all. “Forget it, I don't even know why I’m asking this from you.”

“You said the same thing to Neji.”

Sasuke snapped his head back to her as she paid for the earrings. The seller gave her an embroidered forest green pouch to put the earrings inside and she asked for another one for herself. “What did you just say?” 

Tenten turned to him and put the earrings in the pouch before pulling the strings to tighten it closed, “You said the same thing to Neji.”

“When?” 

“When you asked him to help you claim your clan’s land back,” she brushed past him and Sasuke was stunned. 

He ran after her and followed her stride beside her, “Last time I checked, you both hadn’t spoken to one another until Naruto’s wedding. How did he tell you that in such a short amount of time?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about when he pulled you into that dark hallway as the rest of us stepped out of the banquet.”

Tenten merely nodded once, “Oh.”

“Don’t ‘oh’ me, how did he tell you about these things?” Sasuke disliked when his personal conversation becomes known to anyone outside of the person he was conversing with. His eyes narrowed at the woman nonchalantly walking around the busy market. 

“Sora made a habit of writing down everything Neji talks about when they’re alone. He doesn’t know it, but Hanabi has been transcribing them and giving them to Hinata. She’d hand it to Ino every Saturday and I’d stop by the floristry on Sundays to offer a compliment before heading to the back room to read it.” Tenten turned to Sasuke and it was her turn to narrow her eyes at him, “Goggles? Really?” She scoffed and continued walking, “How can you compare Sakura to goggles? Do goggles even work like that underwater in murky waters?” 

Sasuke rolled his eyes and tailed her through the market. They were coming back to the hospital where Sakura was charitably healing away. “Forget that,” he told her. “And you’re trying to tell me to walk on water-”

“Trying to tell you to stop stuffing your head in murky waters and lift it up so you can see what’s in front you,” Tenten corrected him. “At the edge of the lake, Sakura is standing there. She doesn’t even know if you are a part of her future.” Tenten halted and slung an arm over Sasuke’s shoulders and started to draw a scenery with her hand that held the pouch with earrings. “Sakura is walking at the riverbank, she’s not even looking your way. If you continue to walk on water, without changing course as you take every stride with her, you two will never meet.” Tenten slammed the pouch onto Sasuke’s chest and he instinctively held it to his chest with both hands, “Do what Neji said, compromise for her.” She lifted her arm from his shoulders and continued onwards toward the hospital. 

Sasuke peeled his hands back to reveal the pouch in his palms. Perhaps both Tenten and Neji were right. There was no escaping this festering love for Sakura. Like an innocent child, he hurried after Tenten, “How do I compromise?”

“Well, seeing how much you’ve spoken to me, that’s a compromise,” Tenten headed for the entrance door just as Sakura popped out with a dead expression on her face. “It’s a good change,” her voice trailed off. Sasuke quickly hid the pouch within his coat and turned to the side as Tenten rushed toward her, “Are you okay?”

“I think I’m gonna be sick,” Sakura commented, “a kid just sneezed all his snot on me.” She received preemptive antidotes in the case that her immune system wasn't strong enough to fight whatever that child had but she was still grossed out by it. “Blood? I’m fine. Cutting up bodies? Cool with me. But snot?! You’ve got to be kidding me! Shannarou!” Tenten was about to go for a back pat but decided not to. “How many more do we have to go to?”

“Twenty-seven more villages to go,” Tenten stated. “We should rest and head out tomorrow.” 

Sakura glanced at her and then they lingered on Sasuke. “Why are you calling all the shots?” 

“I’m older?” Tenten replied. 

Sakura’s eyes squinted at the dark haired man refusing to join the conversation, “Something happened didn’t it?”

“You sure you wanna know?” Tenten asked. 

“I don’t,” Sakura replied. Sasuke had been giving her a cold shoulder lately and she had noticed that he was becoming closer with Tenten. For some strange reason, her stomach twisted and turned every time they accompanied one another somewhere, only if at times it was just briefly. “Let’s go to a bathhouse, I wanna relax.”

.

.

Tenten stoked the firewood as a kettle hung atop. She was boiling an herbal tea for Sakura. It turned out that the antidote given to her in the Land of Grass didn’t deter whatever illness the snotting child had at all. Sakura had gotten sick as a result and refused to go on, fearing that she’d vomit if she doesn’t lie down. Sasuke helped her to sit beside a tree as they were in the middle of the forests that bordered the next village they were supposed to attend. It would take another day to reach it but they couldn’t move on. He left them to set a perimeter and keep watch for a short while. Tenten summoned a sizable tent for Sakura, but the woman opted to lie on her side in her coat instead. She deemed that it was too cold in the tent. 

The coldness was a reaction to her high fever. They were in the middle of Summer and the cool nights were just perfect to sleep without a blanket. Tenten poured a scalding hot cup of herbal tea for Sakura and the sickly woman merely set it onto the ground as she stared into the crackling fire. 

“Drink it while it’s hot,” Tenten told her. “Don’t wait until it gets cold. I’m gonna go switch posts with Sasuke-”

“Tenten,” Sakura weakly called to her, “stay here with me.” Tenten raised a brow at the woman before ambling back to sit on the ground beside the lying woman. 

For ten minutes, Sakura refused to speak. She didn’t want to sleep because her thoughts were keeping her awake. The heat of the fire warmed and probably cinched her hair follicles and maybe she was just a bit too close to it but she couldn’t care less. What she cared for or at least considered all this time were her festering sore for a certain man. She didn’t like it one bit and she didn't like the fact that she was somehow jealous of this woman, of Tenten, for having a fairer relationship with Sasuke. There was no possibility of any kind that Sakura could think of that would suggest that Tenten liked Sasuke. There was no possible way that she’d discard Neji so easily. Then again, Sakura surely didn’t know Tenten inside and out. She wasn’t keen enough to see such things. Perhaps she was wrong and was just thinking too much. But maybe she was right and they had something they wouldn’t tell. Sakura watched as Tenten undid the tie of a golden yellow embroidered pouch from the belt of her hip holster. She had only seen Tenten wear it today. Sakura suspected that Sasuke must have bought the pouch for her because she caught a glimpse of him quickly hiding a green one back at the hospital in the Land of Grass. She curiously watched as Tenten pulled out the bundle of curls she and her lover exchanged at their village gates. For a split moment, Sakura didn’t know what to feel.  _ Is she thinking of throwing it into the fire? Or is she missing him? _ Sakura didn’t know. 

“Do you miss him?” Sakura asked her. 

Sakura’s illness had made her blunt in her observance. Tenten disregarded Sasuke silently walking behind Sakura to lean on a tree. “Who wouldn’t?” Tenten replied. “But if I miss him, he’ll miss me, and I’ll owe him a thousand promises for every time he thinks about me.” Her lips curved upward just at the prospect of seeing him soon. They still had many more villages to visit and it’ll be a long time until she does return home but Tenten was optimistic about it all. “I don’t miss him, he’s always right here,” she pointed to her chest, tapping her sternum once lightly, “persistently, like a bug that cannot be shaken away, he’s always here.”

Tenten shoved the curls back into the yellow pouch. Whenever she felt as if it wasn’t worth it to keep on fighting, his curls of hair gave her the strength to live to the next day and onto the next and so on. She was fighting for him in the end, and he was waiting for her to return. Tenten stared at the moving flame and reminisced about what Ino said on that hang out night. She supposed she had adopted the blonde woman’s shinobi way. 

“Do you like anyone else?” Sakura blatantly asked her. For some reason, Tenten’s answer to her wasn’t enough. Sakura believed she must be crazy to assume such a thing, but her mind wasn’t nearly functioning at full capacity. 

“There’s no one else,” Tenten replied. 

“Do you like Sasuke-Kun?”

Tenten flashed her eyes up to the man standing idly behind the pink haired woman. Their expressions were the same. She glanced back to the sickly woman staring at her. “No, Sakura. Why would you think that?”

“Because,” Sakura paused. She stared blankly at the ambers floating to the sky. Her vision refused to focus on the woman sitting beside her anymore. “Because,” Sakura repeated. Her festering feelings she locked away instead of throwing out from her heart poured right back into her body. It was because of him that she let him occupy her heart once more. The way he held her close to him as if he had a purpose to do so even in peril, she couldn’t shake the feeling off. In the beginning, after he hugged her, she didn’t want to think that there was anything attached. But the more she thought about it, the more she hung feelings onto it.  _ Did it mean something more? _ The question bothered her more than it should have. It was precisely the only reason why she let her guard down when her mind went blank and managed to have the young child sneeze onto her. It was because the child resembled the lifeless child back in the Land of the Waves that her mind ran astray to him because it was he who carried the dead kid. He didn’t have to save someone who was already dead when there were more alive struggling to live, but he did so anyway. Sakura let tears fall, trailing across the bridge of her nose. She had begun to love him despite not wanting to because she knew how much pain it would cause to her. Just from that incident, he had distanced himself from her and she didn’t know why. 

“It’s because I love him, and I can’t share him with anyone else,” Sakura swallowed the lump in her throat and managed to breathlessly say aloud. “I know it’ll hurt to love someone again, especially when I know he hasn’t the slightest interest. I try not to open my heart once again, but being left alone, I can’t help it. The love that makes me hurt so much.” Her words trailed off. Sakura rose up to sit as Tenten eagerly listened on. “Can’t I have a happy ending too?”

Tenten could only smile as she bit her lip from grinning. She didn’t say anything, believing that now was the best time for Sasuke to jump in and confess to Sakura but the idiot hadn’t made a move at all. Tenten stared at Sasuke’s wide eyes and stunned expression. “Oi, come here and console her,” Tenten waved her hand at him, causing Sakura to snap her head back to him. Her face soon turned cherry red and she hurried to wipe her tears. Like a guilty child, Sasuke ambled toward Sakura. Tenten pressed her lips thinly and promptly got up, “Guess it’s my turn to keep watch.”

As Sasuke sat down across the firepit from Sakura, Tenten disappeared into the thrush. He tried to look at Sakura from the moving flame and spotted her drying her tears. “Why did you eavesdrop on us?” she asked him.

“I thought you knew I was there,” he replied. “I thought you were bold to confess in front of me.” Sakura couldn’t find anything else to say. She couldn’t blame him for standing there because it was her fault for she didn’t know. She brought the cup of herbal tea to her lips and sipped it. The taste was extremely bitter, more bitter than the soldier pills she used to make for Naruto. Sakura spat it out and began to cough. Sasuke hurried to her side and took the cup from her. Before she could say anything or push him away like she used to, he spoke, “I wasn’t bold enough to tell you I have feelings for you. I’m sorry that you had to cry, Sakura.” 

Sakura was flabbergasted. Before she could register how close they were, he cautiously leaned in to press a kiss onto her forehead. “Sasuke-kun,” she murmured. 

His lips left her forehead and it descended to match her lips. Sakura didn't want to move one bit, fearing that if she did, he’ll never have the courage to do it again. Sasuke’s nose touched her’s and he hesitated, wondering if she’ll pull away but she didn’t. With one final movement, he leaned in, capturing her chapped lips. Sakura closed her eyes and sat still. She had never been kissed before and didn’t know how to respond back. The bitter taste in her mouth was mildly on his taste buds. Sasuke remembered that she was sick and he quickly pulled back. He brought her cup of herbal tea to his lips and let the bitter taste kill all of his taste buds. Sasuke spat out the liquid and caused her to laugh. 

“I’m sorry for being sick,” she apologized.

“If I get sick, we’ll have to share a bed,” Sasuke turned to her and smirked connivingly.

Sakura scoffed and looked away as the red colors on her cheeks intensified, “I’m going to ask Tenten to buy one more futon so that it won’t happen.” 

Sasuke threw the liquid into the fire, almost killing it before grabbing the kettle and using the remaining water to put the fire out. “We’re moving out.”

“Why?”

“Looks like you’re getting better chattering instead of sleeping your fever away.”

Sakura struggled to her feet and teetered before stabilizing, “I just needed to lie down for a while, that’s all.”

“Then let’s get going and finish the mission,” Sasuke walked over to the tent and began to tear it down.”

“Why?” Sakura asked. “I still want to spend my time out here with you.”

Sasuke rolled the tarp up and pointed to where Tenten left, “I have compassion for that woman. We shouldn’t keep her out here for longer than we should have. She has someone waiting to marry her back at home.”

“Compassion?” Sakura belted. “Not just for Naruto?” 

Sasuke gazed at her through the moonlit darkness and nodded, “Not just for Naruto, but for all of my friends.”

.

.

They were offered accommodations in the grand tavern the Land of Stars built for the peace shinobi. They arrived here in the next night and Tenten knew why Sasuke suddenly rushed here. Tenten specifically asked for two rooms instead of the usual one room because it was stupid to not know that was going to happen tonight. Tenten sighed in the darkness as Sakura closed her door and headed to the adjoining room where her other team member was. “It’s bound to happen,” she breathed as she looked up at the wood ceiling. Soon Tenten could hear things moving in the room next to her and she turned to her side. She should have asked for a room across the hall. Tenten pulled out the yellow embroidered pouch containing Neji’s personal belonging. She’ll owe him a thousand promises tonight.

Sasuke brushed a few strands of Sakura’s hair and tucked them behind her ear. The night was cool, but tossing and turning with her on the futon, it had tired him and her as well. He tried his best to tuck strayed hair away as best as he could, but many of them stuck to her beading face. She was sweating and so was he. And though it was too hot for them to have a blanket over their naked bodies, they considered it decency in the case that the lock was faulty. Sasuke turned back to retrieve the green pouch that Tenten bought and gave to him. 

“What is it?” Sakura asked.

Sasuke placed the pouch into her palms, “Open it,” he told her. “Tenten bought these for you, but had me give them to you in her stead.”

Sakura sat up and the blanket fell to her groin, exposing her breasts in the moonlight. Sasuke eagerly watched as she pried the pouch open and dropped the pair of jade earrings into her palm, “Oh my,” Sakura gasped. She put each of the earrings to her ears and presented it to him, “Does it match me?”

“Anything matches you, Sakura,” he replied. “Give them to me, I’ll put them on for you.”

“I haven’t pierced my ears yet, Sasuke.” Sasuke leaned in and closely looked at her earlobes. She was right. He couldn’t believe he didn’t notice it before. His face was downcast and Sakura quickly placed the earrings back into the pouch. “I’ll be sure to pierce them when we return home.”

Sasuke smiled and leaned in to kiss her once more, pushing her down to her back on the narrow futon Tenten bought. Sakura pushed him away gently and raised a brow to him, “Are you sure you didn’t buy it for her?”

“Who? Tenten?”

Sakura nodded, “You both have the same pouches.”

“Why would I spend my time looking for things like these? I don’t even know what you like,” he explained. Sakura frowned. “I promise you, though these earrings were chosen by someone else, they were meant for you and you only.”

“How can you prove that?” 

“I can prove it to you right now,” Sasuke slyly bit back as his hand trailed up her thigh. Sakura grinned as he leaned down to meet her lips. 

Back in the Land of Waves, the Lake of a Thousand Lotuses had cleared up from its murky waters. Sprouting from its clearing was a vibrant pink lotus, a Lotus of the Gongzhu.


	67. While She's Gone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A collection of events that occurred while Tenten is gone on her Final Mission.

It was scary to kneel alone for the seven gruesome days to come in the shrine. Neji’s only source of light were the three spiritual candles at the altar of the shrine. It was evident now why no one had changed nor made the attempt to change the clan’s customs and traditions. When undoing these things, if his predecessors managed to make it this far, they’d change their minds and turn their backs from the shrine. Neji recalled that his clan’s personal shrine hadn’t been opened the moment the curse mark was implemented as a tradition here. He heard Sora click the heavy doors closed and now he was truly alone. One by one, he set up the white candles totaling to seven around the basin of the dark waters. Neji walked over to the altar and picked up the immortal red candle to light up one of the ritualistic candles he prepared for this event. He returned the red altar candle back to its place and resumed his original place to stand. “There’s no going back.”

Putting in new traditions were so easy but undoing them wasn’t. For seven days, until the white candles burn out, Neji must stay within the shrine and repent his actions for removing the clan’s coveted traditions. He must kneel and only kneel in the ankle-lengthed dark waters. All the while, he must recite the hour-long sacred scriptures in a continuum. Without rest nor food to energize himself, he must do this for all seven days. And when the final day comes, he must douse himself into the basin water to cleanse himself before resurfacing to the overworld. Here in the shrine, he was in between both worlds making negotiations with the underworld. If the dark silhouette of the shrine didn’t paralyze the undoer, sure the daunting task would. 

Neji took one step into the freezing cold water and kneeled down. He faced the altar, donning a white hanfu, traditional clothes his ancestors used to wear before they opted for kimono instead. With one deep breath, Neji closed his eyes and began to recite the book-long scripture. His ancestors made it hard to change things because change did not bode well to them. As he repeated his recitations, Neji could see the image of Tenten becoming more clear in his mind. With eyes closed, he could see her clearly. Lost in existence for the moment, he couldn’t tell the time unless he opened his eyes to check the length of the white candles. 

On the fifth day, Neji opened his eyes to stare at the flickering candlelight. He recalled the fifth day being his limit when he returned from the Kage Summit. However, judging his situation now, even without food or water, Neji still had the strength to continue on. The prospects of reaching for Tenten was so close. 

Neji submerged himself into the dark waters just as the last white candle died. He emerged with a fully blackened hanfu. Shakily, Neji rose to his feet. His knees ached and he liked to think it was due to the journey that went on in his mind as he kneeled there running his lips to scriptures he found ridiculous. His whole body ached for the journey that occurred in his mind as he walked with Tenten. In his mind, they did so many things together. Slowly, as each day went on by, he meticulously thought out the words he’d exchange with her. Neji heard the heavy doors pry open. He smiled at his accomplishment for his journey here with the fictional “her” would soon come to fruition.

Hanabi raced down the chiseled stone steps and stopped when she saw her cousin standing before her with a triumphant smile on his face. “Gosh! I thought you died!” she yelled at him, “At least say something when we open the door!” She picked at his dyed clothes and pushed him up the stairs. “Hurry, the whole clan is outside waiting!” Neji’s eyes widen as he raised a brow.  _ The whole clan? _

_. _

_. _

“The clothing will go down in history, Neji,” Neiro told him. 

Neji sat up from his futon bed and he nodded, “Thank you for visiting, grandfather.”

“No need to thank me, you’ve worked hard to change our clan for the better,” Neji replied. “I’ve seen it now, the tranquility that rests in your eyes, my grandson. Hizashi and Hiashi would’ve loved to witness this day with you.” Neji did not know what else to say. Neiro simpered, “If that child was here right now, I’d have her brought over for you. It is a shame that we don’t know when she’ll return. But it is good that she isn’t here now.”

“Why is that, grandfather?” Neji asked. 

Neiro stared at the frailty that succumbed his grandson whilst he was in the shrine. He had gone gaunt and almost unbearable to watch move. “You need to regain your strength, I hear that green friend of yours is planning to have his wedding soon.” Neiro got up and left Neji alone. 

“Lee is getting married?” he asked aloud, “Tenten hasn’t been gone for two months, and yet he’s going to make her miss his own wedding?”

.

.

Getting married toward the end of the year was never desirable because it was believed that misfortune would come. However, Lee had no other choice but to marry Mitsuha. They had a child on the way and he would rather she live with him than be cast out from her own home. 

“Do you regret it?” Neji asked Lee.

Lee shook his head no. His round eyes were only on his wife tending to the tiny pots of flowers by his porch as the both of them stood from afar. Neji had come to see how the new year had been fairing for the two of them. Very few people knew that she got pregnant before marriage. The concept wasn’t new to anyone, but because it wasn’t the norm, commoners loved to gossip about it. “Thanks for visiting Neji, really. I don’t know how Tenten would react if she found out I got married.”

“She’d probably fight you and never let you off, and you still won’t regret it?” Neji joked to him.

“Nope,” Lee’s eyes glistened as he watched his wife enter their home. “As long as she’s with me, as long as we’re happy, I won’t regret anything.”

Neji smiled and patted Lee’s back. “Would it be selfish to ask to challenge you right now, Lee?”

Lee glanced at Neji in confusion, “You mean-”

“I mean, going all out, not holding anything back.”

Lee chuckled and he grinned, “Why now?”

Neji shrugged and crossed his arms, “Because you beat me in getting married.”

“What, you’re saying I’d never be able to find someone who loves me?” Lee asked. Neji nodded, suppressing a wide smile by biting his lower lip. “Wow.” 

“Dear, please invite your friend for some snacks!” Mitsuha yelled to Lee. 

“Okay!” he replied. Lee looked to Neji and gestured for him to go, “I know you don’t like going to other people’s home but— if you go I’ll promise to tell everyone that you won our rivalry spar.”

Neji scoffed and walked forward toward Lee’s house, “You didn’t even have to do that,” he told Lee. “But you’re the one who said it.” Lee nodded furiously as he draped an arm over Neji’s shoulders. “Don’t go back on your words.”

“I won’t!”

.

.

It’s nearing a year now that Tenten was gone. Neji wondered how she was doing. Again, like the multiple times he had done so, Neji sat on the lacquered rails of the fortress halls looking out to the sky. It wasn’t raining and it wasn’t so miserable to walk around the labyrinth anymore. In his hands he held her curl of hair as he daydreamed of the day they’d meet again. 

All that Neji did day by day was waiting for her. In the year that she was gone, he had removed all of the curse marks from the branch family. He’d lifted the marriage ban and destroyed any remnants of subjugation from his clan. Peacefully, as things should be, he had rebuilt his father’s home for them when she returned. And when they marry, they’d return to the same place where his memories of her were the fondest. All that there was to do now was to wait for her safe return. 

There were so many things that Tenten missed while she was gone. Shikamaru had a child and so did Naruto. Lee’s child was on the way and Tenten had just missed Ino and Sai’s wedding just three months ago. Would she be interested to know that his little cousin was in the midst of dating his shy assistant, Sora? She left in June of last year and she had missed so much. Neji placed her curls into a tiny wooden box and clipped it shut. He ought to make preparations for their wedding now that fewer people would lend a hand. Neji got off of the railing and headed back to his lonesome chambers. The massive mazy building that housed him would soon become empty once he gets married. A smile came to his lips. He wanted to tear down this building once and for all. 


	68. The Last Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tenten is frantically trying to help Sakura deliver her baby while Sasuke goes into shock.  
> The Hidden Mist sends three shinobi to track them down. A fight ensues.

Sakura clung onto Sasuke as tightly as she could until she couldn’t anymore. They were swiftly speeding back toward Konoha just as they finished their Final Mission. Tenten proposed to carry Sakura because she was faster than him, but he wouldn’t comply. “She stays with me,” he frantically told Tenten.

Tenten said nothing further. They’ve barely entered Konoha’s forests at the border of the Land of Fire and the Land of the Hidden Mist. Everyone was panicking because they knew that Sakura wouldn’t make it in time to reach their village’s hospital. Unbeknownst to them, they were being followed. 

“Put me down! Now!” Sakura yelled in agony. Sasuke was distressed and he immediately landed onto the ground surface. “We won’t make it! Oh my god!” Sakura wailed as she got onto her knees after squirming out of Sasuke’s grasp. “Tenten, please help me!”

Tenten’s heartbeat spiked and she immediately went into action. “Sasuke, please start a fire, I’ll need warm water.” She unraveled her scroll and summoned a makeshift tent, one of their futons, and several blankets. Tenten looked back to Sasuke standing still in disbelief of what was going on. She dropped her scroll and shook him out of his shock. “Sasuke, look at me!” Tenten pinched both his cheeks with her thumb and fingers and forced him to pry his eyes off of Sakura. “Start a fire!” 

“Uagh! Tenten!” Sakura groaned as water began to seep from in between her legs, soiling one of Tenten’s cheongsams she had lent the pink haired woman to wear. 

“Get yourself together!” Tenten smacked Sasuke on the cheek with the same hand that pinched him and hurried to Sakura’s side. “Start the goddamn fire! Get the kettle boiling and stop standing there like an idiot!” Tenten howled at him. 

Sakura began to hyperventilate as Tenten pulled the woman up. She grabbed the futon and threw it into the tent as she helped Sakura inside. “Stay calm, Sakura.”

“I can’t! Ugh! It hurts so much!” Tenten was more than panicking. She was frightened because she had never done this before. “Uagh! Oh god, it hurts!”

“Stop complaining!” Tenten yelled in frustration. She had never seen how anyone gave birth before. Do they kneel with their legs open? Do they lie on their back and go about it that way? Sakura’s wailing ceased to stop and it terrified her. She could see blood staining her cheongsam and she truly believed that Sakura was going to die if she doesn’t shut up. “Why did you decide to have sex while on the job?!” She rushed out of the tent to grab the blankets when she realized that Sasuke was gone. “Ugh! I hate both of you!” Tenten dropped the blankets as Sakura’s noises worsened in the background. She summoned the firewood she had left from the beginning of the mission and a kettle. Tenten summoned water into the kettle and then tried to set up the campfire but to no avail. Her hands were shaking beyond composition. 

“Ah! Tenten! Tenten!” 

Tenten jerked back toward the tent but she turned around to carry the blankets on the ground. It was then that she witnessed Sasuke protruding from the bush with a handful of branches and twigs to start the fire. “S-start the fire!” she stuttered as she continued jerkingly walking toward the tent. 

Sasuke was hyperventilating as well. The screams of agony that Sakura was belting shook him to his core. He had no way of drowning it out unless he put himself in a genjutsu. However, he couldn’t do that for fear of jeopardizing Sakura and his’ child’s birth. His vision blurred and he hurried to set the campfire. 

Tenten ended up making Sakura kneel on the futon. She winced as Sakura’s nails dug into her arms as the contraction continued. For four gruesome hours, Tenten kneeled by Sakura’s side as her cries dragged onto the evening. Outside, Sasuke stood stiffly not knowing what to do. 

“Let me go, let me go, Sakura!” Tenten begged her. Sakura shook her head no and continued to hold onto her. “I can see the head coming out!” Sakura finally released her as Tenten cradled the baby’s head. “Push!” She guided Sakura. Repeatedly, Tenten told her to do so in rhythmic sessions until the last one thrust the baby onto Tenten’s hands. Sakura collapsed back onto the futon as Tenten realized that she needed something to cut the umbilical cord off. “Sasuke, give me a kunai!”

Sasuke tensed up and pulled a kunai out of his back satchel. He leaned into the opening of the tent and, without looking, he handed the weapon toward her. Tenten grabbed the kunai, sloppily smearing blood onto his fingers. His spine shrieked and he immediately yanked his hand back out. He did not know that giving birth would this horrid. 

Tenten cut the cord and grabbed the blankets beside her to wipe the baby clean. Alas, her heart finally calmed down. She handed the baby to Sakura, “It’s a girl,” she told her. Sakura began to cry tears of joy as she held the child to her chest. Tenten pulled out the placenta and wrapped it in the bloodied blanket. She walked out to meet with Sasuke, “Go inside, you’re a father now.” Sasuke gulped and his lips trembled. She gave him a reassuring nod and he walked inside. 

Tenten sighed in relief and in disbelief. She opened the kettle, realizing that all the water had evaporated. Tenten wished she could facepalm if it were not for her bloodied hands. She stared at her unraveled scroll and sighed in defeat. She truly did not want to have to stain her scroll just to summon some water bottles to wash her hands. Before she could even pick up the scroll, she noticed an entity closing in by.

The best option to do now was to chase the entity away and battle them far from Sakura. Tenten’s eyes peered to the left and silently, she sped in the direction where the sound came from. Leaving the clearing in the forest, she realized she did not bring any of her two scrolls with her. “I guess it’s time to use this,” she whispered. “Weapon’s Cloak!” Tenten made several hand signals and soon, calligraphy seal marks appeared on her palms. They rounded her forearms. Unseen to the eyes, the seal marks appeared at the soles of her feet as well. A single character materialized on her tongue. 

A massive puff of air blew toward Tenten and she immediately dodged it by jumping to the right. “It the same attack from before!” She recalled the fight between her and the man that nearly killed her in her own home. “I can’t get caught in that airwave!” 

Sasuke combed Sakura’s hair with his fingers as he looked tenderly at their child. “What should we call her?” he asked. 

“Sarada,” Sakura whispered. “Uchiha Sarada.” She sat up with the help of Sasuke and grinned at the crying child in her arms, “Hold her.”

Sasuke gently held Sarada in his arms just as he heard a loud noise rustling through the trees. It was then that their tent began to ruffle. Sasuke activated his doujutsu and handed Sarada back to Sakura, “Stay here, I will be back.”

“Sasuke-kun-” Sakura cradled her child closely to her as he got up and left the tent. Her mind was spinning. 

Tenten realized that one of the three enemies was the refugee who managed to escape Konoha several years ago. She dodged another cannon blast of air and spiraled toward the refugee. Silently, she mouthed the name of her weapon of choice as she jabbed her palm up toward the woman’s chin. A kunai was summoned from her palm, piercing through the enemy’s chin and up to her internal cranial cavity before being de-summoned. The enemy fell flat. The other two jumped down from the trees and aimed their palms at her, “Decapitating Airwaves!” they both shouted in unison. Tenten leaped backward towards where Sasuke and Sakura were. She suddenly hit someone. Without thinking, Tenten swung her leg around and conjured up the word of the sword to her lips. A katana summoned at her sole as they were both in mid-air and she tried to slice the person. 

Sasuke was barely able to dodge her attack. If not for his doujutsu, she could have just decapitated him. He glared back at her. Tenten de-summoned the sword and landed on a tree. “Sorry.”

“Who are they?” he asked.

“Looks like they’re back for the Tools of the Sage of the Six Paths.” They both leaped toward the two enemies. One of them threw a blunt kunai, prompting Tenten to throw her own kunai to deflect it. The blunt kunai spun in the air, producing a rain of senbon pouring down toward them. Tenten sped past Sasuke, as she was more agile than he was, “Get back and protect Sakura!”

Sasuke pressed onward to keep to her speed, “You go back!” 

Two blunt kunai came at them this time. Sasuke quickly saw through the attack with his doujutsu and maneuvered upward. Tenten saw the whizzing weapon at the last second as the evening turned to night. “Explode!” one of the enemies yelled. Before her eyes, Tenten witnessed the blunt kunai break into a puff of yellow smoke. She quickly covered her nose and mouth and passed through the cloud to land on a neighboring tree branch. 

“Head back! Now!” Sasuke commanded. 

Tenten hesitated to comply but because he was still her leader, she had to. The several months that poured into the year she had talked down onto him had made his commands seem irrelevant to her. But this time, Tenten retreated back as she was told. She hurried back to the clearing where Sakura was. “Sakura!” 

“Tenten!” Sakura barely managed to stand up. “What’s going on?!”

“We have to go,” she de-summoned all the items she conjured for Sakura’s child labor just as the woman walked out of the tent with her child. 

“What’s all those marks on your hands?” Sakura asked. 

Tenten grabbed Sakura’s arm and proceeded to guide her toward their village, “No time to explain, can I carry you both? We need to move fast.”

“If you can, Tenten-san.” 

Without wasting time, Tenten carried both Sakura and her child with Sakura in her arms as the mother held her baby tightly. Tenten leaped into the air and onto the gigantic tree branches. It wasn’t before long until her vision became blurry. Tenten blinked furiously but it would not go away. Fearing that she’d drop the both of them, she halted and carefully set them down before mauling her eyes with her bloody hands. 

“What’s wrong?” Sakura asked.

“I don’t know, I can’t see,” Tenten opened her eyes and blinked. This time, she couldn’t see anything, “It’s really dark.”

Sakura quickly looked at her surroundings, seeing that there was still light before nightfall actually descended onto them. Even the moonlight lit their path. “What do you mean, Tenten?” Sakura carefully walked toward Tenten and waved her hand in front of her face, “Stop mauling your eyes and let me see.”

Tenten’s smeared face surprised Sakura. She opened her eyes only to see nothing but pure blackness. “Is nightfall really this fast in Konoha?” 

Sakura watched as Tenten’s pupils refused to follow her finger movements at all. She was stunned and ultimately devastated, “Tenten, can you see my fingers?”

“I can’t,” she stated. Sakura bit her lower lip, seeing how bloodshot her eyes were. Even the tears lubricating her eyes were beginning to turn into blood. She covered her mouth to stop herself from wailing. Her child in her arms was sound asleep. Tenten’s breaths began to pick up pace as she realized what was going on. “Maybe my eyes just need to get used to the night-”

“Don’t you move,” she told her. “Close your eyes, Tenten.” 

Tenten’s heart began to shake and she couldn’t help but blink incessantly. She could feel Sakura’s hand cover her eyes and she could feel a warm heat radiate from her palm. Before Tenten knew it, her tears fell. She didn’t even know that it was blood that she was crying. “I’m going to be alright,” she told Sakura. She knew it was all just false hope to convince herself not to panic. “It’s only temporary.”

.

.

Sasuke helped Tenten wash away the blood from her hands and her face while they stopped by a stream to fully clean Sarada. Without her sight, Tenten had to go through the trouble to summon everything from her scroll until they found the necessities they needed. With the kettle beginning to warm up, Sasuke poured the warm water onto the untainted blanket so that Sakura could wipe away the blood from Sarada. When that was done, and when she de-summoned everything, they sat by the campfire that lit the Riverbend. Silently, they let the sound of the wood crackling and the chirps of the crickets speak for them. 

Tenten could feel the heat radiating closely to her skin but she couldn’t see it. She didn’t know how close or how far the fire was. Without warning, she let her tears fall. She was so close to home. She had come all this way safely only to get hurt. Doubt circled her mind constantly. Would Neji be disappointed in her for not returning the same way as she left? Tenten wiped her tears away and sniffed, “Tell me you’ve killed them.”

“I did,” Sasuke replied in a low manner. 

“Thank you,” her voice shuddered and she cradled her face into her lap. Tenten felt like a failure for not being able to dodge the attack. She felt as if she had failed Neji to return safely. She was beginning to doubt if he’d still want her in this state. 

Sakura walked over to Sasuke and handed him Sarada. Sasuke watched over their child as Sakura asked to have another look at Tenten’s eyes again. “Please, Tenten. Let me see them.”

Tenten rose her head up and let her examine her eyes once more, “There has to be a way to get my eyesight back right?” Sakura didn’t respond. Instead, she shined the little pen-light from her medical bag onto her eyes. She could see little particles swimming in Tenten’s lubricant tears. 

“I’m going to drop some antidotes into your eyes okay?”

“Just do what you have to,” Tenten replied. 

Sakura pulled out a common clarifier from the bag and dropped two droplets each into Tenten’s eyes. She quickly shined the light again to look at the particles. They were not swimming on the outside; it was on the inside instead. “I’ve never encountered this before, the particles have absorbed into the inner portion of your eyes.”

“What does that mean?” Tenten asked. 

Sasuke looked onwards at Sakura, “I mean I don’t know how to cure this kind of blindness. It looks to me like the particles are inhibiting light to enter your eyes, hence it being pitch black.” Sakura turned the penlight off and shoved both items back into her bag, “When we get home, I’ll make sure to look into this.”

“You have a child, Sakura,” Tenten told her. She turned away from the woman and back onto the supposed fire. “I’ll just have to deal with this on my own.”

“No, we’ll deal with it altogether,” Sakura insisted. 

Tenten shielded her face from them, at least that was what she was aiming for. “How long will it take? Finding something to cure this, I mean.”

Sakura thought for a couple of seconds, “Give me two weeks. I’m sure there’s something to restore your eyesight. Whenever poison is made, an antidote is always right beside it. Trust me, Tenten.”

“I trust you, but I don’t know if I can trust myself,” she stated. “You know, to keep my composure in front of him for two weeks.”

“What do you mean? You’re the strongest person I know when it comes to situations like these,” Sakura replied.

“I don’t want him to find out,” Tenten turned to Sakura and searched for her hands. The latter offered to grab Tenten’s hands instead. “Maybe for two weeks, I can stay home and not go anywhere.”

Sakura gripped her hands tightly, “And if Neji-san finds out, then what? He’d be more devastated that you hid this from him.”

“I don't know what I’m thinking,” she answered, “that was foolish of me.”

“Don’t hide it from him, trust me, Tenten.”

“I trust you.”

“Trust in yourself.”

Tenten caved in and nodded, “I’ll trust in myself.”

Sasuke stood up with Sarada in his arms, “We’ll reach Konoha before dawn. We should get you straight to the hospital for a more thorough examination.”

Sakura pulled Tenten up and squeezed her hands, “Let’s go.”


	69. On to the Good Times

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tenten ended up hiding from everyone for two whole weeks. Neji lures her out with the promise of food.

It was evident now that Tenten couldn’t trust herself at all. She couldn’t bring herself to face him. The two weeks that Sakura promised to her went by silently. Not a day went by where there wouldn’t be any knocking at her door. His voice was always on the other side. Tenten was still afraid to hear the knocking even as she got used to it. He would always come at a certain time, but at what time, she couldn’t know. 

The studio that she took for granted became a faint memory. For two days now, she hadn’t eaten. Tenten laid on her bed with her hair sprawled around her bedsheets. Her bangs had gotten a little too long, and she was sure they’d turn out to be like Lee’s if she could see. But she couldn’t, and she didn’t bother to cut it. Tenten showered when she believed it was night time. And as to how she could tell the time or day, she’d place her hand on her windowpane to feel if it was either hot or cold. If the sun was up, it would be hot, and if not, it would be night. And for the things in between, she didn’t bother to think about it. 

Tenten had just brushed her teeth and washed her face when she heard the incessant knocking again. His voice permeated through her walls again. She dared not to open the front door at all. Tenten walked out of her bathroom and carefully guided her way to the kitchen. She opened her fridge and found nothing edible to eat. Her stomach growled more and more. “I brought groceries, Tenten. Please open the door.” Her stomach growled loudly enough for him to hear, “I heard that.”

“You can’t come in if I open the door though,” she tried to negotiate with him. 

“Deal,” she heard him answer. 

Tenten patted her stomach and cautiously made her way to the door. She unlocked the door and opened a crack. Tenten stuck out her pinky for him to swear in their agreement. 

Neji watched as her skinny pinky protruded out of the crack, just wide enough for her to extend her arm out to him. Warmth radiated to his heart and he deactivated his byakugan to stop spying on what she was doing. It was the only way to make sure she was okay from the outside. Neji captured her pinky with his own, “I also want to add this part. We’ll make an exchange right here on your doorstep. For every question I ask and you answer adequately, I’ll give you one of my groceries, vice versa.” Upon hearing that, Tenten immediately began to shake off his pinky to no avail. She had gotten weak and his grip on her pinky was beginning to hurt. 

“Fine,” she murmured. “How many things did you bring?”

Neji was still talking to a partially opened door and the appearance of her arm. She still shielded her body and face from him, “Just a few things.”

Tenten released her pinky but he wouldn’t let go. She wiggled it until Neji finally released his grasp on her finger. Tenten opened the door widely and slid down to sit at her doorstep. Neji followed and did the same on the opposite wall. Never once did his eyes leave her features. Apart from her scrawny body, everything about her remained the same. His eyes lingered on her unmoving eyelids. She stared blankly at what seemed to be the door hinge instead of at him. Her hair had grown longer since he remembered. And her bangs, well, they resembled that of Lee’s, except that it was far too long. He found it irritating to look at. Should he ask to brush her hair away?

“Did you know what happened?” Tenten asked him.

Neji watched as her lips moved. “I heard about everything.”

Tenten’s brows were distressed and she handed her palm out to him. “You said vice versa, give me my groceries.” Neji handed her a box of her favorite soybean drinks. Tenten hurried to put the cold box to her side, “What did they tell you?”

“You’re asking irrelevant questions, Tenten,” Neji told her. “Besides, we have to take turns.”

“Fine.”

Neji smiled and looked to her hand, “Can I hold your hand?”

“No.”

“You’re not getting anything.”

Tenten scoffed, “Why?”

“Because your answer was unfavorable,” Neji replied.

“You owe me another grocery because your answer to my question is favorable,” Tenten bit back. She couldn’t hold back the content that was sprouting in her heart as they interacted. Tenten couldn’t even see him and yet, she felt as if she did.

“Fine. But if you go out of turn, I have the right to hold your hand,” she heard him answer. She heard him open up something. “Give me your hand,” he told her. Tenten extended her palm to him. Neji placed one cherry tomato onto her palm.

She felt the tiny ball in her hand and brought the thing to her nose. Tenten couldn’t smell anything. Tenten handed to him back the cherry tomato, “What is this?”

Neji chuckled and took the cherry tomato with his left hand. He then held her hand with his right hand. “You went out of turn.”

“That’s not fair, Neji,” Tenten tried to sound angry, but she couldn’t. She missed him so much but her failure had gotten the best of her. “Next time, let me know what it is or I’ll throw it out.”

“Okay,” Neji grinned as he thumbed her hand; it felt tinier now in his hands. “Mm, do you still have my curl of hair?”

Tenten let out a simper, “It’s in a yellow embroidered pouch. I’ve no idea where it is.”

Neji inched closer to her and gently pressed the cherry tomato onto her lips, “It’s the cherry tomato,” he told her. “I don’t want you starving.”

Tenten chewed the sweet tomato and all at once, her walls came down. She chuckled at the familiar taste. She missed this taste. “Thank you, Neji.” Tenten paused for a minute, thinking about what to ask. She supposed she should apologize for hiding from him. “I’m sorry, for trying to evade you. You must’ve worried a whole lot.”

“I did,” he replied, “but now that we’re here like this, I can put it all aside in the past.”

“What was the box that you gave me?”

“Soybean cartridge drinks, do you want some?”

She nodded and he leaned over to grab the item he first gave to her. Neji pierced the straw into the hole and wrapped her hand that held his own hand earlier onto the cartridge. Tenten switched the drink to her other hand and handed her palm out to him, “Your hand,” she urged. Neji tittered and reclaimed her hand onto his’. “Is it nighttime or is it dawn?”

“It’ll be dawn in a few hours,” he lied to her. The sky was pitch black with a few specks of stars littering the canvas. It was the middle of the night and they still had a long way to go until morning, “Would you like me to describe the sky to you?”

“Nope. I don’t care for such a thing,” Tenten scooted to the opposite side where Neji was and leaned her head onto his shoulder. She breathed in and sighed in satisfaction, “Do you resent me?” Tenten sipped on the drink as Neji brought another cherry tomato to her lips. 

“What for?” Discarding their short-lived little game, he opted for a serene night basking in one another’s presence. 

Tenten set the drink down and chewed on the tomato before swallowing, “For not returning to you the same way I left.”

“It doesn’t matter how you come to me, Tenten. What matters is that your love for me is still the same.”

“It’s so foolish of me to hide from you,” Tenten told him. “I really believed you’d hate me for not being careful and causing myself to become blind.”

Neji moved from Tenten and turned his torso toward her, “I feel the same way you felt when Lee accidentally caused me to be temporarily blind, Tenten. I’ll never hate you for being a little reckless.”

“I really wanted to see you before this all happened, Neji. I wanted to run to you the moment I returned to the village. I wanted to run into your arms and have you spin me as if there is not a care in the world we have. And when you settled me down, I wanted to give you your curl of hair back, ask to marry me, and we’ll share a kiss for everyone to see,” Tenten tittered and turned to Neji. “Will you let me see you?”

Without hesitating, Neji mimicked her movements she did to him when they were seventeen. Under the roof of his home on that rainy night, he was brought back to that specific moment. Neji guided her hands to his cheeks and allowed her to explore the nuances of his face. “This must be how it felt like when I touched your face.”

Tenten’s eyelids fluttered as her pupils laid low, staring at a direction that was not his face. She closed her eyes and ran her thumb over Neji’s cupid’s bow before brushing over his lips altogether. “How does it feel like?” she asked him.

Neji felt her thumb brush over his lips multiple times and he gazed down to her own lips. “It feels like—” the moment his lips moved, her fingers traced over the bridge of his nose and slid off the tip of his nose. Her thumbs skidded over his brows before he was able to give an answer, “home.” Without uttering a single word, Neji slowly descended down to her lips. He closed his eyes, letting instincts guide him this time. Parting after a tender kiss, Neji collected both her hands and held them softly, “Let’s get married, Tenten.” 

Tenten opened her eyes slightly, unsure of where to look except downwards, “Even though I’m like this?” she asked him. 

“My love is blind to your faults and your flaws, it’ll love you because it’s you,” Neji leaned down to press his forehead to her’s. Though she couldn’t meet his eyes, he knew that this was the perfect moment to ask her. Under a moonless sky, where the heaven’s eyes no longer spied on them, where the temperature was just right, the setting was cozy and quaint, it was the perfect time to ask her, “Will you marry me and be my wife, Tenten?”

Tenten leaned back slightly and shook his grasp of her hands off. Tenten hunched down to his lap where his hands were and pressed them to her lips, “These hands, they’ll have to work harder now that I’m blind, Neji. Are you sure you’re willing to be my husband?”

Neji cupped her cheeks and brought her face back up to him. He gently placed a warm peck onto her forehead, “Yes, until the end of time.” Tenten gave him a smile, one that wasn’t as sad as the one before she left for the mission. 

“I love you, Neji,” Tenten allowed Neji to put his arm around her as she stared out into nothing but darkness. “Please do not let me go. If you take one step away from me, I could only take one step towards you. In my life, I only have you, I don’t even have myself. Don’t be harsh on me. My heart is filled with loneliness and fear. I cannot stand a day without you, I don’t even know what to do. I am always waiting for you. So would you just stay with me? Would you just hold me in your arms? Would you just hold me.”

Neji pulled her into a strong embrace. “Past the endless dawns, our daunting journey to come together stops here. From this point onwards, I’ll be your shoulder to lean on, your pillow to rest on. We’ll walk together into the next passage. With you by my side, I’ll never let you go.” 

Even though it was late at night, Neji still made sure to have a meal with her. He had brought in the groceries and made her a simple “breakfast” before falling fast asleep. When the morning came, she was in his arms, her breaths were shallow and her lashes kissed his cheekbones. He couldn’t wait to wake up to her like this every morning. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I ended up posting these early. :)


	70. Anxious Hearts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tenten begs Neji to stay with her through the night. She has induced a trance.  
> The next day, they visit the hospital to meet with Sakura.

Snowstorm ravaged loudly outside the Hyuuga fortress. Tenten listened to the delicate sound as she plucked the guqin strings in the early evening. It was December now and the cold had made itself apparent throughout the whole day. She couldn’t venture out of the fortress since it was so snowy. Instead of bothering Neji and his study time in his own study hall, she returned to her chambers and played a harsh sounding tune. Her fingers were numb and rigid. Playing the instrument by the feeling of her hands, she wished she could see the scenery at which she played the tune for.

Tenten moved the guqin and herself closer to the sliding doors. She pried the doors open and felt the icy air hit her skin. She closed her eyes, fearing they might go dry if she opened them for too long. With a melancholy melody, she played a purposefully creaky tune to match the frigid cold. It was a tune traversing the journey of life, her life to be exact. From a nameless flower, she had bloomed to be coveted and beloved by a man far beyond her reach. Growing up from the humble home she couldn’t call her’s, here she was, sitting under the roof of one of many of the most powerful and elite clans in Konoha.

The last strum sounded and Tenten slowly opened her eyes to nothingness. Several months had passed by since the day Neji lured her out of her home and reconciled with her. She believed it was the end of June when that occurred. Now the end of December was coming and she hadn’t felt any improvement in her eyesight. Tenten sat motionlessly as the freezing winter wind blew in through her opened doors. She wanted her whole body to be numb to the cold because it was still surreal to her to feel that she was actually here, sitting within the Hyuuga compound, within the fortress, and waiting until the new year comes so that she could marry him.

Tenten recalled having Neji guide her slowly from the stairsteps of her apartment down to the street. She recalled him holding her hand tightly as he led her through the bustling streets and roads down to the Hyuuga Estate. She recalled kneeling into a seiza beside him as they both faced his grandfather. However, everything that occurred after that was a mental blur. From the moment his grandfather agreed to make arrangements for her to reside in the fortress’ chambers, one by one, her belongings began to appear into this room. Tenten remembered smiling onto no end with Neji at her side as he guided her through to the fortress. She remembered counting every step with him from his own chamber to the chamber she was assigned. All of these memories seemed so fresh within her mind but they were several months old. She only thought of it now because her song had ended and nostalgia had hit her.

Her fingers itched to play another melody and Tenten made a note to blink to lubricate her blank eyes. She began to strum and thumb the strings on the go, playing it as how she saw fit ever since he brought the instrument to her at the beginning of her stay here. Soon, Neji would come to visit her in her chamber before returning to his own.

Tenten decided to lift up her own spirits, seeing as though there was no one but herself to do so. Lightheartedly, she did whatever her ears deemed a decent tune. Her mind shifted to their auspicious wedding date in February. There were two more months to go and she’d finally become his’. Tenten hoped that she’d regain her sight before then. Sakura and Ino had their own families to watch after now but they still made time to find a cure for her. From liquid drops to refined powder, they’ve tried everything in their knowledge to help her. Twice, they’ve failed to discover anything to at least let light pass through to her eyes. Tenten hoped that tomorrow when she goes to visit them, something good would come out of it.

“Tenten,” Neji's voice softly flowed into her ear.

She quickly set the instrument aside and moved from the door to let him in, “Neji, you’re here.”

“Why did you leave the doors open?” She heard him close the doors shut before his own cold hands came to warm her own. “Aren't you cold?” She had no idea where his face was but simply shook her head no as she smiled. He came to visit her once a day and he’d only stay for an hour or two before returning to his chambers. She wished that he could stay with her tonight. “I missed you,” he expressed. She could feel his warm breath hit her frozen fingers.

“Then stay with me tonight, Neji,” she told him. “Ever since I came here, we’ve only slept together once and that was on my first night here.”

Neji glanced at her and tittered, “it won’t be good to sleep together too often lest word gets out.” He pulled her into a brief hug before looking around her room.

“But we don’t do anything when we sleep together,” Tenten whined.

“I know, but they don't know that,” Neji realized how dark it was in her room. He turned his attention back to her and pulled the instrument onto both of their laps. Tenten felt the weight of the guqin hit her thigh and she realized what it was. “You stopped playing the first melody and I was intrigued.”

“You heard me?”

Neji ran his finger through the strings, “It sounded quite sad and I was worried that you might need me and so here I am.”

Tenten chuckled and leaned her head onto his shoulder, “One day, I’ll have a guqin master come to play a tune for you so you won’t have to hear my screeching melodies.”

“I’ll look forward to it,” she heard him reply. He began to make up incoherent pieces of tunes for her but all that Tenten could think of was to have him stay for tonight. She lifted her head from his shoulder to give him full use of his arm as she partially listened to the music. She hadn’t given up on making him stay.

“Neji, will you please stay with me tonight?” Tenten asked one last time. She was desperate to have him beside her.

Neji stopped playing the guqin and settled it to the side. Whenever she was frantic and inherent on him staying for the night, she wouldn’t sleep at all if he insisted on returning to his chambers. However, this was the fifth time that she displayed this uneasiness in her tone from all the other countless times she begged him to stay. “What’s wrong, Tenten?” He held her shoulders and turned her toward him.

Tenten’s fists scrunched up his haori and she refused to let go. “I can feel a trance coming tonight in my sleep,” she told him. “This isn’t normal Neji, and you know it.”

She began to tremble in his grasp and Neji pulled her into a full embrace. Ever since she lost her eyesight, her clairvoyance had become untamable. “Tomorrow after visiting the hospital, we’ll go and buy your charms and amulets to help you ward off the trances.”

“You haven’t promised to stay tonight, Neji,” Tenten pressed on.

“I’ll stay with you tonight, right beside you,” Neji reassured her. Tenten’s breaths shuddered and she clung onto him tightly. She didn’t know what else to do but to have him beside her in the case that she break into a panic. Only he could calm her.

Tenten could not see Neji sleeping across from her, but with their hands held tightly, she knew that he was there. He had brought his futon, blankets, and pillow from his chambers and moved them to her room for the night. He had placed the futons side by side, as they always did so whenever they slept together, though it was only once. “Go to sleep, Tenten, I'll be here.”

With her heart at ease, she finally closed her eyes and drifted into what she believed to be a light sleep. Throughout the night, she managed to move her way across her own futon, straying from her own pillow, and had opted to sleep on his futon. Tenten’s light sleep soon turned into a heavy one. And as the onset of her deep sleep came, so did her trance.

Tenten did not hear the knock at her chamber doors but Neji did. He opened his eyes and activated his byakugan only to find Tokuma standing on the other side. Whatever he had to relay, it must have been urgent and serious enough to come to Tenten’s chambers. Neji propped himself up with an elbow and stroked a piece of her hair from her forehead. “I’ll be right back, Tenten,” he whispered to her. Of course, she did not budge. Neji quietly exited her room and closed it before a cold draft woke her up. “This way,” he led Tokuma to the corner of the chamber building, “What seems to be the matter?”

“The disbanded servantry compound is beginning to amass in numbers. They want you to reinstate their unit back into the papers,” Tokuma told him.

“Tokuma-San, are you a part of this movement as well?” Neji asked him. Tokuma refused to speak. “I do not want anyone to serve me. I am but a regular person. There should be no status that distinguishes us.”

Tokuma bowed formally to Neji, “I believe you are in the right, Neji-sama, but if you see it from our side, you’ll understand our plight.” Neji waited for him to continue, “Though the duty is not mine, the servantry solely existed to uphold the nobility and pristine refinement of our clan. If you do not want to have them work for free, you can compensate them with whatever you please.”

“The servantry exists to keep the Hyuuga estate in its shape,” Neji told him, “we have no permanent need for such boastful buildings. It only wastes space and time to clean things that are not in use. I’m adamant on tearing down this fortress, though the main building may be kept up.”

Tenten’s eyes shot open and she gasped in for air. She felt for the body that was supposed to be next to her but no one was there. Tenten ran her fingers to both corners of his side of the futon but no one was there. She began to breathe heavily. Her mind was dizzy and she couldn’t comprehend if she had truly woken up or not. Not being able to see, the only way she knew that she was back in the real world was if Neji was here, alive and living well because, in any other universes and realities, he’d be dead. Tenten frantically got up and headed for the door. On the way to it, she kicked the guqin loudly. She was now sure that she was in the Hyuuga’s fortress but she needed to find him.

The worst thing for a fortune-teller to lose was to lose sight of the real world. Soon, the visions that come from her dreams, that special clairvoyance, it would overtake and cloud her own memories and skew her own reality. If Tenten were to be left alone enough for it to fester without any tangible amulet to indicate which realm she was in, she might just create havoc without even knowing it.

The same series of visions kept haunting her. Tenten slid the door open jaggedly and stepped out onto the corridor. Sticking closely to the walls, she trailed her fingers past the paper doors and urgently made her way toward his chambers. She had no idea where he would be, only that this was the only other place she knew where to go to find him. Tenten began to hyperventilate. Spiritual bells were the most desirable amulets to awaken her from her trances but he didn’t know that he was her amulet. Nothing could compare to him. “Neji,” she desperately whispered. She was deeply afraid she’d lose him.

Neji heard a loud thud and turned back to look at the corridor where her chamber was. “We’ll discuss this tomorrow, Tokuma.”

“What can I say to appease them?” Tokuma asked.

Neji returned his eyes back to him, “I trust that you’ll find an excuse. Goodnight.”

Her fragile frame hugged the walls and her back was toward him. Neji paced to her quickly. She had strayed from her doors several rooms too far. “Tenten,” his call to her was almost inaudible. Lightly and full of breath, he called to her once more, “Tenten.”

She stretched her hand out far from the wall, from her safeline, “Neji,” she returned the same hopeless call of his name. Tenten turned around, feeling for anything, feeling for him but her hands did not touch anything. She began to backtrack, walking out in the emptiness like a child toward someone she could not see. Tears were in her eyes when she turned around to him. Neji was nowhere near her. He ran to her, making as much noise as he could on his way to her.

Her breath hitched when he pulled her into his arms. Securely, Neji held her in his arms, “I’m sorry.” Tenten continued to tremble even with him so close to her.

“It came to me again,” her voice trembled. Tenten buried her face into his chest and breathed in his scent to try and clear her mind.

Neji took in a deep breath to calm himself even. Mildly, he began to rock her. “Is it the same thing?” he asked her.

“It’s the same thing,” she told him. Her voice vibrated to his core and it made his heart uneasy. “I face the gates of fate again. And though I don’t want to enter, I go anyway. As if I’m peering into someone’s future, someone I know, I reach my hand out to touch the memory in front of me.” Tenten clung her arms around his waist, “Again, I couldn’t see the person I was reaching out to. I couldn’t tell if he was you or not, maybe I was not supposed to know. Pulled out of the memory, I am standing at the gates once more. And there is the white figure standing behind the closed gates. It’s as if he’s waiting in that moment, in that future, in that memory to happen before he truly reveals himself. With every time that I see him, the last image of him becomes more etched in my mind. He becomes viler and more harrowing to look at.” Tenten turned her head to listen to Neji’s heartbeat, “I’m afraid that something bad will come to us— to you.” She tightened her grasp on him, “Only you know that I can only see the future of the ones I see the most. And though I cannot see you, I can feel you, I can hear you. With every instance that you are with me, I can tell that it is you.” Her breath shuddered again, “I’m afraid that that person is you. I’m afraid that the only person I can think of is you when I reach out to him, Neji.”

This was the fifth time she had the same vision. It was the fifth time she recited what she saw to him. With every detail her mouth gave away, Neji felt as if he could see everything happening. Regardless, he let her say every last word she needed to say. The only thing he could do was to give her comfort. And when she spoke her last word, her trembles would stop and he would continue to hold her and rock her gently as he should. Neji feared that she’d make him go insane. He feared that what she said might come true. He was afraid that he’d begin to worry for something he couldn’t see. There was a future that neither of them could predict nor prepare for. Neji quietly and softly rubbed her back. He wished that she would do the same to him. “Maybe there is a reason why you couldn’t see that person you were reaching out for. Maybe it isn’t me.”

“I don’t want it to be you,” she replied softly. “I wasn’t supposed to see you anymore whenever I do see these things.”

“Maybe that’s the reason why you couldn’t identify him.”

Tenten pulled herself back from his embrace and tugged on his kimono, “But these visions aren’t from me, Neji. I’ve lost the ability to look into my future and yours, so where would they come from?”

Neji directed Tenten’s head back onto his chest and he hugged her more softly this time. “Even if that person was me, the important thing is that at the end of these visions, the gates remain closed, imprisoning that white figure from escaping. Besides,” he planted a kiss on her head and forced a smile she couldn’t see, “how can there be a festive event with me but without you by my side?”

She could tell he was smiling when he said it so confidently. The worry that stuck itself in her heart dipped slightly. Tenten gave out a titter to match his attempts to uplift her mood. “I’m probably thinking too much,” she replied.

“You are, but if you have these visions again, don’t hesitate to call for me. I’ll run to you without hesitation,” he told her.

“Is this the last time you’ll sleep with me?”

“Until our wedding night,” he replied, “I’ll have to be apart from you. There are still many things to plan for our wedding you know.” Neji drew her back from him, “Come on, let’s go back to bed.”

Tenten slowly followed him through the corridor to her room. “Is it because I wanted to add my heritage’s marriage traditions?”

Neji carefully guided her past the guqin and onto their futons, “Precisely,” he told her.

Tenten sat down as Neji pulled the heavy covers over her shoulder. She laid down on her side, facing him. She searched for his hands but it was as if he could read her thoughts. Before she could even ask for his hands, he intertwined their fingers. Tenten smiled as she felt his lips on her forehead. “I wish my eyes will heal soon so that I can see us in both your and my wedding clothes. So then I won’t have to imagine seeing you in my head. I can just look at you directly and tell you I truly mean it when I say that I love you.”

“Even if you don’t say it, I can tell that you love me,” Neji rose a hand to brush her hair.

Until she fell asleep, he gazed into her empty eyes. He was grateful that she couldn’t see the tears he was shedding in this moment. Silently, he continued to stroke her hair. The deep fear refused to leave his heart. He truly believed that the person she was reaching out to was him. And though she may have been overthinking, the possibilities of living or dying in her visions were always fifty-fifty. He didn’t want to be insane, he didn’t want to believe in her words, but his worries grew with every instance that she cowered in his arms. With every rendition of her recollection, the more apprehensive he got. Neji wiped his tears alone. He only wished that he hadn’t made any mistake in loving her.

.

.

“Open your eyes,” Sakura prompted Tenten. Tenten hesitantly fluttered her eyes open as she heard a click. Sakura shined the penlight onto her pupils. “The particles are gone completely,” she told her.

“I can’t see anything, still,” Tenten sighed. Beside her, Neji held her hand tenderly.

Sakura clicked the penlight off and crossed her arms, “I’m sure that removing the particles would solve it. My testings can’t be wrong,” she pulled her clipboard to her face and flipped over a page, “mm, this antidote is supposed to work instantly.” Tenten lowered her head in disappointment. This would be the third time Sakura’s antidotes failed.

“Are you sure the particles hadn’t gone anywhere farther than the inner surface?” Neji asked as Tenten leaned onto his shoulder.

“Absolutely,” Sakura confidently replied. “Maybe it’ll take longer to clear up since the particles have been in your eyes for a while.”

Tenten stared forward, even unsure where Sakura’s voice was, “There won’t be anymore you can do after this, right?”

Sakura drew her clipboard down and glanced at Neji. He gave her a simple nod. “I’m sorry, Tenten. This is as far as my abilities can go.”

“Don’t be sorry,” Tenten responded in a lighter tone, “thank you, Sakura.”

The snowy season made no one want to stroll out and about. But with the hope of the sunshine on this morning, a few commoners went about their frosty day. Neji held Tenten’s hand as they left the hospital. He didn’t want to say anything, he couldn’t say anything. Tenten’s grasp on his hand lessened and she stopped walking. Without a reason, she turned and embraced him. At this point, she didn’t need to be comforted. Losing her sight had hindered him and at the end of her path, there were no more trails to take to regain what she lost. So, there was no more point in being sad about something that could no longer be fixed. “Tenten,” his voice and tone asked her what she was doing but she didn’t want to explain.

“Please just stay like this, stay still and let me hug you,” she softly said. “There’s nothing we can do, we’re at a dead end.”

Neji disregarded the peering eyes that passed by them. He just realized that this was their first time displaying their love in public to anyone other than their friends. It was oddly satisfying to reveal their hiding love. He responded to her hug by wrapping his arms around her as the sun rays beat down on them. “I’m smiling,” Tenten grinned as he told her. “We’ll face the hardships together as we’ve always had. I’ll be your eyes as I’ve always been. As long as you hold me like this, as long as you let me hold you, there won’t be anything we can’t do.”

“Tell me, where are we standing?”

“The marketplace.”

“But it’s so quiet,” she commented.

“That’s because it’s too cold.”

Tenten chuckled, “Where are you going to take me today?”

Neji pondered that question for a bit, “Let’s go to a dressmaker shop,” he told her. “I’ve found a perfect one to make your longfeng gua.” Tenten drew back from him and tilted her head. Neji was tempted to lean down to kiss her, “After that, we’ll go and find a coronet-maker and shoemaker.” He looked at her eyes, stilling seeing the familiar lights illuminating her orbs.

“The heavens must’ve been jealous of me, for it keeps trying to take you from me,” Tenten said as they walked hand in hand to the place he had chosen for her. She couldn’t help but smile as she imagined the image of their wedding. “Are you sure we can trust the shrine keeper and the auspicious date she chose for us to have our wedding?”

Neji released her hand and pulled her close, slinging his arm over her shoulder as he guided her through the snowy path, “It’s auspicious for a reason. You don’t trust her?”

She shook her head no, “I don’t trust her, but I trust you.”

He chuckled and stopped walking, “We’re here,” Neji told her, “watch your head.” She carefully lowered her head as he steered her toward the door. The red awning was quite low.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Longfeng gua" is a type of Chinese wedding dress. It is a two-piece long embroidered dress.  
> I've decided that Chinese is Tenten's heritage. Therefore, I wanted to fuse both types of weddings: a Japanese-type Shinto wedding and a Fengguaxiapei Chinese-type wedding.  
> The idea is that Neji will wear white (though it's usually black) and Tenten will wear red (following Fengguaxiapei and not Shinto, which is white).


	71. Inauspicious Ending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's their wedding day.

It stopped snowing in February. The ground dried and the sun always shined. It was still cold despite nearing Spring. 

Tenten and Neji returned from the shrine after making their first vows. Instead of holding a meager banquet for the few of their friends, they returned back to the Hyuuga compound, back to his home, his real home. Neji guided Tenten through his gate and into the courtyard. They’ve returned to his father’s humble home. No longer did they need to travel as much as ten steps to see one another like back in the fortress. It would only take as little as two steps just to find her. 

His home was decorated with red drapes of ribbons as Tenten had asked. Now that they’ve finished their vows in his tradition, it was time for her turn. The cacophony of his friends that he gleefully invited cheered and welcomed him to his home. Neji looked around, seeing the red silk carpet they’ve laid from his gate to the stone step. The decoration was quite red for his eyes to adjust to. 

“Well, well, well!” Naruto belted as he held a cup of alcohol in his hand. “Here they are!” Neji tittered to the blonde man and looked at Tenten. Past the white headdress she adorned, he could see her grin with excitement. 

“Congratulations, brother, Tenten-san,” Hinata added.

“You guys didn’t bring your kids?” Neji asked.

Hinata shook her head no, “No one did, today is a happy day for the both of you. We all wouldn’t want to spoil it with crying children.”

“Please, we have to take a picture!” Ino squeezed past the food table with a camera in hand. 

“Tenten! Neji!” Both the bride and groom’s ears perked. Lee came running to them and pulled them into a vigorous hug. He loved to cry when he’s emotional. 

Tenten laughed and they both returned the hug. “Lee, it’s been such a long time!”

“I know!” He choked through his tears. 

Ino pried Lee off, “Stop hogging them! I want to see-” Lee backed off and Ino brought Tenten’s face to her eyes, “Why aren’t you dolled up? Where’s the make up I gave you?” Lee began to pull Neji toward the other men. 

“Neji didn’t know how to put them on,” Tenten told her. “But my bare face will do, I can’t see anyway.”

Ino’s face fell and she bit her lip. “Well then,” she ushered Temari to join them, “let’s all take a picture!” 

The flashing lights ceased to stop for a full five minutes as Tenten stood still with Neji beside her. Individually, their friends took turns taking pictures until it was time for the last group picture. Naruto summoned a clone to hold the camera and he started counting to three. Tenten was getting a little agitated as she forced a smile. Neji leaned into her, “You know, we’ll have to go through all of this again when you change into your other wedding clothes,” he whispered to her. Tenten’s eyes widened and the camera snapped. 

Neji carefully helped Tenten up the stone step and onto the engawa as Temari followed after her. Tenten had chosen her to help her put on her longfeng gua. She bid him a short farewell. Neji turned back around to the lively chipper commotion within his tiny courtyard. He was glad it was so small. It made the crowd seem so big. Sasuke handed him a cup of alcohol and he gladly took it. “So, whose idea was this?” he asked. 

“Her’s,” Neji replied as he sipped the bitter drink. 

“It looks nice,” Sasuke replied, “quite different. Refreshing actually.”

“Thank you.”

“Is it weird to get married twice?” 

Neji raised a brow at Sasuke’s talkativeness, “No.”

“When are the vows?” Chouji asked from across the courtyard. Shino would not let him touch the boiling pot set at the side of the courtyard. “These snacks are making me more hungry!”

Neji suppressed a chuckle, “I’ll have to leave you, Sasuke.” 

Sasuke raised his cup to bid him a meager farewell as he turned to Sakura. She was unhappy, “What’s wrong, Sakura?” Sakura crossed her arms and looked onward toward the groom. “Is it because Tenten didn’t choose you to help her?”

“No, Sasuke,” Sakura answered, “Seeing how beautiful today is, seeing how much Neji’s smiled today, seeing him so elegant in his attire, my heart is hurting for Tenten. How could she know how exquisite her own wedding his without seeing for herself? I’ve failed her.”

Sasuke set down his cup and pulled her into a hug, “How can you be sad when they are so happy?” Sakura bit her lip and complied to his implicative words. She parted from him and pulled him toward the rowdy group. For today, there would only be happiness.

Tenten ran her fingers on the fabric of her red wedding dress. She could feel the embroidery on the silk fabric but she couldn’t tell what they were. All that she knew, that Neji told her, was that there were golden phoenixes and dragons at the center of the shirt. She played with the hem of the pleated skirt as a Temari helped her out of the uchikake. “Temari-san.”

“What is it?” Temari pulled off the undergarment shirt from her body to reveal a messy scar across the woman’s back. Her mind completely blanked as she recalled inflicting the wound onto the bride’s back. She shook the distasteful memory away.

Tenten’s hand never left the wedding dress hanging on the wall, “How red is the dress?”

Temari glanced at Tenten’s half-opened eyelids and then onto the hanging dress. She set the uchikake aside and took the wedding dress off the wall, “It’s painfully passionate. Too bright for someone as dull as you,” she earned a slight chuckled from Tenten. Temari helped Tenten put on the dress skirt. She began to fasten it, “But as its noisy color bears itself onto you, the color begins to seep into your skin. You become just as bright as it is.”

“Does the color suit me?” she asked. Temari suppressed tears from her eyes as her eyes landed onto the scar once more. “I didn’t bother to check if it’ll look good on me when I could still see.” 

The blonde woman’s lip quivered and she smacked her lips, “You look more radiant than you were before, so stop asking questions.” Temari tucked the string into the hem of the waist of the skirt and brought the shirt to Tenten. She began to unbutton the front. Temari never thought she’d be here, experiencing this moment with the first woman she hurt from this village. Back then, the woman was so young and fragile like a toothpick. Seeing the battle scars this little body bore, to know that her husband had witnessed every single scar, Temari’s tears fell. Compared to the pure milky skin that she had, this woman, this blind woman was the epitome of pain. She was a pain so passionate to the eyes. Temari helped Tenten slide on the coat-like shirt and began to button it up. 

Tenten pulled on the sleeve that came to her wrists. She could never stop touching the fabric. “My parents would’ve loved to see me in a dress like this,” she said to herself. 

Temari wiped her tears before more could fall and held Tenten’s shoulders, guiding her to the tiny vanity table. “Careful, watch your step,” Temari warned. Tenten sat down and Temari began to put the coronet on her head. 

Tenten tugged on the high collar and realized that her amulet was gone, “Where’s my bell pin?”

“What bell pin?”

“My amulet. It’s a clear bell with a red metal ball inside,” Tenten told her. She began to panic. On the day that Neji and she went to the dressmaker, the shoemaker, and the coronet maker, they had stopped by the mountain shrine to have the bell pin he chose for her to be blessed. The nights that followed were voided of her trances. Tenten needed that amulet. “Was I wearing it when I came here?”

Temari set the coronet down and walked to the uchikake she left on the ground. She began to search through the fabric, “I didn’t see anything like that when you arrive.” Tenten began to shudder and she stood up. “Where are you going?” Temari dropped the uchikake and held Tenten still, “Tenten? Are you okay?” 

Tenten felt extreme heat grow from her spine and she immediately stood still, being unable to move. Her eyes shot wide open. She had entered a trance.

“Tenten?” Temari called to her. She shook the bride a couple of times but found her hard as stone. Tenten—”

The visions were moving faster than before now in the trance. Tenten was immediately pulled back from the gate, seeing the same events she had seen before reeled in her eyes. The gates slammed closed and the white figure bore into her eyes.  _ He can’t get out. _ Just as she thought those words, the white figure busted through the gates, releasing an insurmountable amount of blinding light toward her. Tenten’s eyes widened and she failed to shield her eyes. 

“ _ Finally _ ,” the white figure’s voice echoed to her ears.

Tenten’s dilated pupils narrowed and she blinked once. “Tenten,” Temari called to her. Tenten jaggedly turned her head towards the voice and realized that her own sight had come back to her. 

Temari was taken aback when Tenten made eye contact with her, “Can you see me?” Before she could receive an answer, Tenten immediately leaped for the door. “Tenten!”

Tenten’s heart was pounding. It was at a war she feared she was losing. She slammed the door open and her eyes searched for him, for her husband. She breathed heavily, inducing hyperventilation. All the things she thought about regarding her recurring visions, all the things she feared to come true, it was all pouring into her head.  _ “The important thing is that at the end of these visions, the gates remain closed, imprisoning that white figure from escaping.”  _ Neji’s words rang into her mind. The figure had escaped. Her eyes frantically looked at her surrounding and dread overcame her eyes. It was her wedding. The event in her visions that she saw, it was her wedding. Tenten couldn’t believe it. She choked on her breaths, “Neji!” 

She stepped out of the engawa and onto the stone step. She hadn’t even worn her red shoes yet. Her friends began to make way, revealing the person she was searching for. Tenten began to cry as she saw how beautiful he was in his clothes. There were no other ways to say it. There weren’t enough words to describe him. He shined her the most beautiful smile she had seen, a grin so indicative of him. “Tenten, you-”

Tenten ran towards Neji without another second to waste. Her heart was hurt, it was crying for him. “Neji! He escaped—”

Right before her eyes, Tenten witnessed a flash crush her beloved to the ground, expelling a shockwave so grand it threw her off her feet and back toward his home. She couldn’t do anything, she couldn’t react fast enough. Tenten opened her eyes, wincing and wallowing in pain all throughout her body. She looked up, realizing the destruction of their home and their gate walls. She could see the earth cracked and notched beyond recognition. From the rubble, a few of her friends emerged. Tenten could see only Naruto and Sasuke rise from the remnants of the wedding. The dusty cloud of smoke where she last saw her beloved dissipated and it revealed an unsightly figure. It was the white figure. He knelt over her beloved menacingly, his hand pressed hard against her beloved’s hand. “Neji!” Before she could even stand, she was thrown back by a force she couldn’t decipher. Tenten smashed into Temari, throwing them back into the house’s debris. 

Neji glared at the white figure. His attempts to activate the tenseigan repeatedly failed as the entity pinned him to the ground. The white figure’s smile widened perilously, “Don’t even try, you unworthy human.” 

“Sasuke!” Naruto yelled as he got to his feet.

“Got it!” Sasuke shouted back. 

Everything happened too fast, so fast that Neji couldn’t even comprehend what happened. In one fleeting moment, he just saw her staring right back at him. And in the next second, his whole body ached and pleaded for him to relinquish his life. Neji hadn’t even the chance to understand that his own chakra was being forcefully pulled from his own body. The white figure’s jaw tightened as he continued to pull Neji’s chakra out of his body. “Hamura’s chakra had completely spread throughout your body,” he told Neji. Neji began to lose all of his strength at trying to pry off the entity’s hand from his head. “Your chakra is all I need to grow the chakra fruit.” Unbeknownst to him, Neji’s hair began to turn white. He hadn’t even the chance to see her fully in her red dress.

“Kage bunshin-no jutsu!” 

The white figure removed his hand from his head, pulling the chakra life out of his body. The entity jumped up, dodging the rasen-shuriken Naruto threw. The white figure then ate the chakra as he flew from Naruto and Sasuke chasing after him. 

Neji could feel his meager life disappearing from him for he could barely move at all. Sakura escaped from the rubble with a bleeding arm and she ran toward him, “Neji-san!”

“I’m fine,” he weakly lied, “go save others.”

Sakura huffed and scanned for any of her friends she could spot out in the open, she glanced down to him lying on the ground, “Don’t you die on us!” She hurried to Hinata just as Kiba managed to pull Shikamaru up from the ground. 

“T—Temari,” Shikamaru stuttered as he held his side. 

Tenten’s finger twitched and she opened her eyes. She was on top of Temari who cushioned her from a wooden spike. “Temari-”

“I’m fine, it’s just a tiny wound,” she reassured her. 

“Temari!” Kiba brought Shikamaru to her. 

Tenten stood up and backed away from the two of them. She turned around and her eyes frenziedly looked for him. She stepped on so many things on her way to him, things that pierced her feet and made her bleed. However, all that she felt was the pang in her heart. 

Right now, there was no one but him in her eyes. Tenten ran toward his side and collapsed to her knees. “Neji, my dear,” her voice broke and she grabbed his hand. Tears streamed down her face as she hugged him. She missed him more than he would ever know. She touched his ghostly white hair and propped herself up. Her hands remained on his chest as she tried not to cry so much, “In the countless nights I spent resenting you, it feels like I’m in hell now.” She was almost incoherent, unable to suppress her cries. Tenten frantically searched for his hands and held them together, “Please stay by my side, please remain here. Don’t let go of my hand,” she begged him. “If this takes you a step further away from me, all I have to do is take a step closer, don’t I?”

Neji tiredly looked into her eyes. He weakly smiled to her, even for someone as beautiful as her, she surely does cry so ungracefully. Neji reached into his obi and shakily pulled out the ring, the gift he was supposed to give to her. He didn’t cry; he couldn’t cry. He was just elated to have her beside him. She shouldn’t cry as well. Tenten bit her lower lip hard as he fitted the ring onto her finger. She covered her mouth and her tears blurred her sight of him. “A thousand times a day, your face appears in my thoughts. Those familiar words, those vivid eyes, that lovable expression—” as much as he did not want her to cry, there was nothing he could do. Neji’s lips quivered and he sighed exasperatingly, “you’re quite a pretty person, aren’t you?”

His tired smile made her tremor. Her head was spinning onto no end. Tenten rested her head onto his chest and she whimpered, “Please don’t do this to me, you know me well enough, don’t you? Please just stay by my side, please just stay here. I can’t endure any days without you. What now, what do I do now? Please tell me what to do. I’m nothing without you.” 

Neji’s eyes lowered and he could feel himself crying. The hot tears filled with regrets, of all the things they hadn’t done together, he regretted putting them off until later. In the next life, he’d stop going by the rules of the books if it meant having more time with her. “Please hug me, hug me for a while.” It was all he asked. Tenten closed her eyes shut tightly and gritted her teeth. She rested him on her lap, hugging him from behind as he rested his head on her chest, coveting his face close to her’s as her tears fell onto his cheeks. If she resented him, he resented himself even more. He hoped that he loved her enough. The days that had yet to come, the days he won’t be able to tell her he loved her, Neji hoped that she received enough of what he could give. Slowly, breaths drew out of him. With the lasts of his strength, he wished to say it again. “I love you,” his last words feebly faded.

“I love you,” Tenten pressed his hands to her cheek. She could feel his hands become heavier now. He was gone and she frantically scrambled for all of him, realizing that he had really been taken from her, “I love you! I love you!” It was all that she could say. She hoped that he heard her. She began to rock him just like the countless times he had done so to her.  _ “The heavens really took you from me.” _

The sun began to set but she remained unmoving. In the middle of a disturbing crater sat a woman in her red wedding dress. In her arms, she held a white crane, a phoenix that had flown away far from her. Those that looked onward to her, their hearts may ache, but her’s was already dead. The people she knew were gone, her friends were far away, probably being treated away. But Tenten remained in her place as the hours passed on by, she refused to budge. One by one, familiar faces began to show up. Silently, they mourned for her tragedy. But Tenten felt nothing. She was empty, hollow to the core. She was done shedding tears. And though his warmth remained for her to feel, he had gone far away from her. 

Tenten couldn’t even smile when she thought of all the things they’ve done. She realized that they haven’t even told each other how much they loved each other. “Do you know how much I love you? When I saw you, I couldn’t stop shedding tears. I had to avoid looking at you, I had to turn away. Do you know how long I’ve waited for you? If you ask me why I didn’t tell you that, why I didn’t tell you earlier, I can’t answer because it’ll break my heart. You don’t need to know anything else. Just remember the time when we were together. You probably don’t know how much my heart hurts. It doesn’t matter, even if you’d known about it, if you don’t exist, I don’t either. Even if I was reborn hundreds of times, I can’t find a better place since you won’t be there. The reason the world is beautiful is because you live here. If you don’t exist, I won’t either. As today is the last time we are together under the same sky, probably because it has your traces, this world is beautiful because of the love you carved.” Tenten nudged his face with her own as she continued to hold his hands in her’s. “Please remember, both of us and me.” And just as she believed she had dried all of her tears, it hits her over again that he was gone. “Dear love, dear my regretful love, this greed makes me not want to let you go. My longing love, my painful love, I love you. If you don’t exist, I won’t either.”


	72. Exchanging Lives

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The shrine keeper enters the Rite of Divine as a final act of her duty. Tenten continues to hold Neji in her arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jumping right in the events after the last chapter.

Gentle weepings wouldn’t suffice her love for him. She was too greedy for him. Crying alone, sobbing uglily, she continued to call him. Tenten refused to believe anything otherwise. He was safely in her arms and nothing mattered. Even if he couldn’t respond to her, even if he couldn’t say anything to her anymore, Tenten didn’t care for anything else other than that he was in her arms. Even if she knew how futile it was to call the dead, she continued doing so because it was all she could do. Tenten didn’t want to do anything else other than to hold him. She’ll do what he asked, she’ll hug him for a while. And for how long would she hug him? To her, her only answer was what he said himself,  _ “Until the end of time.” _ It was the only viable answer. 

As dusk settled upon them and the freezing cold seeped into her skin, Tenten carefully draped what little of her pleated dress skirt over one of his legs. He must’ve been cold and she could only blame herself for not being attentive enough. “With every second you lean on me, it feels like you’re getting lighter,” she whispered to him. She wished that it would snow and float back all of their memories they’ve shared. She wished that it would bury them both and freeze them like this so that neither of them could move or take a step without one another. She wished it was all a dream. 

Her tears crystallized with the appearance of the moon. As the day drew to a close, the world became uglier. Willingly deluded, she caressed his icy face with her equally cold hands, “Don’t act so cold. I’m here,” she whispered. Brushing his flowing hair as a wind carried them nowhere, Tenten realized how much he had changed. She never imagined silky silver hair on him. She never thought it would suit him. “If you could see me now, if you would just raise your eyes and look at me, would you compliment me again? Would you tell me how you feel? With your whole heart, would you tell me how you feel? If your lips could move, if you could speak, would you tell me, would you tell me how much you love me? Because of you, I’m crying again.” 

It was a consequence of a hanging conversation. Lee gently kneeled next to her and gently placed his hand on her shoulder, “Tenten, please let him go. He’s not here anymore.” Lee’s lips quivered as she refused to move. 

“I’ll hug you even for a while,” she whispered in his ears. “Please hold me when I’m done. That’s all I ask.”

Lee looked into Tenten’s eyes, finding darkness enveloping her orbs. She wasn’t listening to him at all, “Don’t act like this, Tenten, I beg you. We can’t bear to leave you alone. It’s time that we all return home. You have to go home.” 

“I’m home,” she replied to him. “This is home. Here is our courtyard. Here is our little home.” Lee began to choke on the lump in his throat. Indeed, this was their home but she couldn’t stay here. There was nothing left here. Defeated and swallowed by her painful words, he sat down beside his team members, the little family he had grown up with, even if it was just a short while.

.

.

The head shrine keeper fastened the red string on her waist as she stepped down from her shrine’s engawa. She turned around and faced her apprentice, “Yuna, you’ll be on your own from this point onwards. Remember to never touch or reach for anything you see when you enter the Rite of Divine.” 

“Yes, Tenyu-sama,” Yuna mildly replied. “Will we see each other again?”

“I won’t be coming back,” Ten-Yu answered. She turned back to the path, “take care of this place while I’m gone. If by chance, if a child is abandoned at your footsteps here, please raise the child well.” Yuna formally kowtowed and bid her master their last farewell. 

Tenyu descended the flight of stairs from her shrine and approached the red bridge she was forbidden to cross. She stopped at the bridge and looked to the night sky. The moonlight barely illuminated her path. In front of her, she could see the phantasm, the remnant figment of the two young lovers that visited her twice from long ago. She watched the intangible image of them holding hands as they crossed over the bridge. A heavy sadness tugged her heart as the image of their hands separated as they stepped off the bridge. Tenyu was overcome with her own sadness. 

For a while now, after performing the last Rite of Divine for the Hyuuga boy and the commoner girl who resembled her all too much, Tenyu’s health had down spiraled. In that Rite of Divine, she witnessed her own death. After fearing it for so long, she would finally face her inevitable end. Tenyu crossed the bridge and experienced her own suppressed memories rushing like waterfalls back into her mind. There were so many things she let go when she was young. Tenyu was just like any other girl out there before she willingly entered the shrine. She had her own life and she had her own love. 

It was a love that could never happen. As Tenyu passed the bridge, she made her way straight to the only place she knew that she saw in her visions many times before. “It wouldn’t be so bad to reminisce everything wouldn’t it?” she told herself. A smile came to her lips as she recalled those white pearly eyes of her lover. Her love was a love bound to be scrutinized by the heavens. Before she could even confess her love to him, she realized that she was never meant to have a life with him. Seeing how easily he would die if they ever got together, Tenyu made her own decision to spare his life by isolating herself from him. Before he could even know his love for her, she went far away from him to the place where she dropped all of their memories together. It was the bridge that collected her love for him and stowed it away. Now that she had recollected them, Tenyu felt as if her life was complete. “Hizashi, though I couldn’t save you back then, because I was too cowardly and afraid to follow after you, now I can truly come to you. Please wait a bit longer, just a bit longer.”

Tenyu struggled over the rubble of a home she had seen multiple times in her vision. She looked onwards to the familiar faces that once appeared at her shrine. They were the young lovers’ friends. With the night sky’s expansion over their heads, Tenyu noisily made her way toward them. 

“It’s the shrine keeper,” Naruto monotonously said as he watched her approach them. 

Sakura rose her head from her knees and turned her head to the aged woman stepping into the crater. She stood up and stopped the woman from interrupting the weeping bride at the center of the crater. “You’re not supposed to be here, M-”

“The heavens brought me here, this is where I am supposed to be,” Tenyu told her. Sakura held onto her arms tightly, refusing her to step any further. Tenyu looked into Sakura’s eyes, “I can help her, she is me.”

Sakura’s brows furrowed and consequently, she released her grasp on the older woman. Tenyu carefully descended to the shallow crater.

.

.

She must have been a celestial, that woman standing before Tenten’s eyes. Tenten’s frozen expression, the hollowness in her eyes looked up to the white robes the woman was wearing. She recognized that face. It was no celestial, it was the shrine keeper. 

Tenyu kneeled down and she kept her gaze on the bride. Never once did she believe that she’d live long enough to witness her own reincarnation. Tenyu reached out to Tenten’s hand holding Neji’s stiffened hands. “Look at me. Listen to me,” Tenyu told her. Tenten stared blankly at Tenyu, refusing to let go of Neji in her arms. “Give him to me.”

Tenten stared at Tenyu’s face for a long while. In the woman’s eyes, she saw her own reflection. Before, she had never seen such a resemblance to herself. Her mind couldn’t find the will to trust the head shrine keeper that appeared before her, but her heart did what it was asked to. Tenten finally let go of him and Tenyu carefully propped him up. 

“What are you doing?” Lee asked. Tenten didn’t speak at all. It was as if she couldn’t control herself on what she was doing. All of her trust, she gave them all to the older woman holding her beloved. 

“Please step out of the crater,” Tenyu instructed him. 

“Tenten,” Lee called to her one more time. Tenten sat idly, ignoring her friend’s call as she waited for instructions from Tenyu. 

Tenyu looked at Lee and gave him a reassuring nod. Lee hesitantly stood up and walked backward out of the shallow crater. He stood beside Shikamaru and watched on. “What’s going on?” Shikamaru asked him.

I don’t know,” Lee replied. Until the shrine keeper came, the weeping bride hadn’t moved at all. “If Tenten trusts her, I’ll trust her too.”

“Hero of Konoha,” Tenyu looked to Naruto. Naruto tightened his fists as the older woman called to him. “Please fill this crater with water.”

“Water?” Naruto scratched his head. He immediately summoned a toad and directed it to fill the crater as he was directed. 

When the water rimmed the crater, it submerged all three of them to their shoulders as they sat in the pit. Soon the cold weather made the water unbearable to sit in. All around them, it continued to snow. Tenyu confidently smiled to Tenten’s blank expression. “Hold him tightly, don’t let him move nor sway.” Unbeknownst to anyone but Tenyu, she was going to enter the Rite of Divine for the final time. Barely conscious of herself, Tenten kneeled beside him, opposing him. She hooked his chin on her left shoulder and wrapped her arms under his arms. Tenyu situated herself behind the deceased’s back. She stretched her palms out to touch him lightly on his shoulder blades. Bare and entering a trance without the talismans, the trinkets, the amulets, nor the bells, Tenyu closed her eyes. 

Tenyu wanted to pull many strings of fates once. She wanted to pull her love back from the dead but she couldn’t. She couldn’t because he willingly made the decision to go. He wasn’t rushed to make his choice and that was where he was supposed to go. Tenyu opened her eyes, feeling her toes dip in the black waters. In front of her was a broken gate. If she were to bring back the life that had gone far away, she might just be able to return this gate to its original purpose. Tenyu stepped forward through the unhinged gate and plunged into the dark waters. She was going to turn back a point in time. Defying the heaven’s gift of clairvoyance, she was going to reach for the past and pull the life that was stolen. Because this life did not get the chance to choose which time in place it wanted to go, because it did not willingly make the decision to go, it will linger and refuse to leave all of its attachments to its world. 

Tenyu bypassed the spirit world’s gazing realm and entered a tangible one. Here, she would be able to truly speak to the life that was lost. She descended down onto the mirror image of the overworld, onto the mirror image of the rubble and the crater filled with water. Already, she could see that his spirit hadn’t left at all. Tenyu stepped into the water where his spirit watched over the bride holding onto his physical body. 

Neji glanced at the shrine keeper approaching him briefly before returning his gaze onto the woman he loved. Though he could not touch his beloved, though she could not see him nor hear him, he heard her and he saw her. “I’m sorry, I just can’t leave her,” Neji told the shrine keeper. “I made a promise to love her until the end of time.”

“I’m not here to collect you,” Tenyu told him. “It isn’t your time to go. Now that you’ve escaped your initial death from the War, you no longer followed the fate of your reincarnations. But that does not mean that no one will not suffer this fate. So long as this world we live in continues to exist, there will always be someone like you, like her, like me.” Tenyu stood beside Neji and they both looked at Tenten’s reddened and puffy eyes. “We have to return you to the overworld before that woman loses consciousness and breaks my attachment to you”

Neji couldn’t keep his eyes off of Tenten. His heart wrenched as he was about to lose sight of her as he would be returning to her. “I assume you’re forcing your chakra into my body right now as we speak?” He could see blue hues entering his physical body.

“If you don’t want to go, if you don’t want to return, I will have wasted my life to bring back half a life,” Tenyu told him. 

Neji reached out to touch Tenten’s face but his hand went through her. He bit his lower lip and he forced a simper, “Wait for me,” he told her.

.

.

Her teeth chattered. Tenten had never been this cold in her life. Still, she kept her frozen arms locked onto his body. She held onto him like armor. Even if she wanted to let go, she wouldn’t be able to. Only he could pry her from him. Snowflakes collected onto her hair, onto her eyelashes, and onto her brows. Gone were her warm lips. Replaced were her chapped lips, agape and breathing in short breaths. She dug her fingers into his wedding clothes as the water wrinkled her flesh. Tenten fought to stay awake but the world pulled down on her eyelids. She had put her faith in the shrine keeper. But even if nothing worked, just like everything in this world that had failed them, it all wouldn’t matter. At the end of this day, he was still in her arms. 

Tenten gave up on keeping her eyes open. She was exhausted throughout the whole day. She believed she would remain still. But with her eyes closed, nothing could warn her that she was teetering the both of them. If the shrine keeper wasn’t behind him to stop both of them, they would have submerged completely into the water. Tenten tightened her hold of him and let out a chilling breath. This time, there was no one to stop them from plunging into the frosty water.

Tenyu forcefully pushed Neji’s spirit back into his body. But before she could return to her’s she heard a familiar voice call to her from behind. Still in the spirit world, she broke the only rule and turned around to look back to the unhinged gate. “Hizashi,” she mouthed. In an instant, she was pulled back toward the gate. It shut closed, regenerating a more sturdy gate than before. An exchange was made. She could not return to her body but she did not want to. 

In the midst of toppling into the glacial water, Tenten saw floating amber orbs, crystals flying to the sky. The shrine keeper was gone; her body was gone. Not knowing what else to do, Tenten continued to hold onto him. She waited for several minutes for anything to happen. Realizing that it was all for nothing, she released the last hope that she held onto. Tenten shed a single tear as she pulled him from her arms. She wanted to see his face. “You’re not coming back, are you?” she whispered to him. “My hopes and dreams, they’re dying right now. You were supposed to hold me. After everything, you were supposed to hold me. Can you hear me? I’m calling you right now. You’re supposed to run to me. You said you’d run to me.” She brushed his cheeks, wiping his and her tears altogether. “Please hold me, hold me,” she begged him. Her stiff fingers brushed his closed eyelids. She melted away the snow collected on his lashes and brows. A heartbreaking smile appeared on her lips. He was so beautiful even now. Tenten hugged him once more. With his chin hooked on her shoulder and her arms around under his arms, she hugged him once more. There was nothing left she could do but to hold him. Tenten silently shed tears knowing he would never return her embrace. 

“You’re quite a pretty person, aren’t you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tenyu is the former reincarnation of Tenji. I made Hizashi Kaguya's reincarnation because I didn't want to add too many new characters to the story. Plus, I don't think it really changes Hizashi's character in the manga/ anime anyway.   
> Hypothetically, if somehow, Tenyu and Hizashi were to get married and have a child, it technically wouldn't be Neji.
> 
> Clarification: Tenyu is going back in time to the moment where Neji died, disregarding everything that happened afterward. Pulling him from that moment back into his body will prevent him from bringing with him all of these other thoughts he conjured while the day passed by in the real world.


	73. A Truly Prosperous Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji takes Tenten to a rented studio for the night since their home is destroyed. They finish the other half of their wedding and their vows.

The first thing Neji saw after he came to was how dark his surroundings were. He was cold, his body was freezing and all that he knew was that someone was holding him. He couldn’t even feel the person’s warmth at all. Neji blinked once, hearing the familiar voice of her’s travel to his ears,  _ “Please hold me, hold me.”  _ Instantly, he knew who this person was. Under the darkness of the sky, he couldn’t even see the red shirt she was wearing. Neji slowly moved his arms to her, for it had swayed and floated carelessly while he was gone. Moving them hurt because every slight movement ached his frozen muscles. He recalled some of the last words he told her. The most important words he said to her, as he saw it, Neji could only recall those words. She was so beautiful in the split second that he laid his eyes upon her in her red dress. “You’re quite a pretty person, aren’t you?” 

She was the most radiant person in his world. He’d trade everything in the world just to have her. Neji finally hugged her back. Weakly, he held her with the strength he conjured. Neji couldn’t believe it when she drew him back. He must have been gone for a long time for when his eyes laid upon her own, she was almost unrecognizable. She was ghostly white with the exception of her nose and her puffy eyes. She must have cried enough tears to compete with the body of water they were in. “Dear love,” he heard her whisper. 

Surrounding them, Neji could hear his friends’ voices, their sighs, and their cries of reliefs. However, he only chose to focus on her. Neji raised a hand to brush her tears away. “No images in my head can compare to you right now,” he told her. 

Tenten cupped both his cheeks in disbelief. His eyes blinked. The shining life that he bore shone in his orbs without fail. Tenten choked on her tears as she grinned like an idiot. “Don’t you let me go again. I mean it, in my life, I only have you. Please don’t be so harsh on me.”

“You’re my everything,” Neji carefully sat up and supported his own weight as his other hand rose to caress her other cheek. “I was so afraid when I couldn’t see you. There were so many things I haven’t said to you, so many more things I haven’t shared. You’re my everything, my world. You’re the only person I want to see. If I don’t have you, I won’t have myself. Please love me as you are now, hold me as you are now. In my life, there’s only you.” 

Tenten wanted to gaze onto his face until she perished. She’d never think she’ll see him like this again. She never thought she’d hear his voice again. Tenten closed her eyes and pulled him into another hug. Kisses weren’t enough to express how much she wanted to see his eyes flutter open. To be as close as she could be, she could only think of holding him in her arms. “With you, my life is complete. With you, my world becomes more beautiful.” 

“Please get out of the water, you two,” Kiba yelled to them. Tenten chuckled weakly and pulled back from Neji. She helped him up. There were still more things they haven’t done.

.

.

Temporarily, the tiny studio Neji managed to rent for the night became their home. To their rubbled home, the place where they were supposed to spend the night to, it’ll be resurrected in the next week. But for now, this tiny studio will do. Neji carefully guided Tenten up the two flights of stairs as he held a box of their little belongings in his other hand. They hadn’t finished their second portion of their wedding yet. And so with the red veil over her head and her bandaged feet, he carefully helped her up the stairs. Little droplets of water dripped from both of their clothes as they made their way up to their studio. Neji tightened his grip on her hand as they reached the floor. He unlocked the door and opened it before pulling her inside. 

“Don’t go there,” Neji told her as he flicked the light switch on, “that’s carpet.” Tenten suppressed her smile even though he couldn’t see her through the veil. The only dry article of clothing she adorned was the veil. Neji set the box onto the counter of the kitchen and pulled out two cups, a gourd of wine, and a red string. He tied the string onto the cups and poured the wine into them. He then turned to her and tugged on the veil. Tenten could see his fingers from under the veil. Pulling up the red fabric, it revealed to him that familiar face he had come to love. Neji’s smile grew the moment her eyes rose to meet his’. “It’s a little informal, isn’t it?”

She shook her head no. Even though she lost the coronet and her shoes, even though they’ve skipped so many ceremonies, at least they still had each other. Without him, it wouldn’t be a wedding at all. Neji turned to grab the two cups tied together with the long red string and handed one to her. “We’ll say our vows now,” she told him. “Sharing our wines, I’ll forever be bound to you. Through any hardships, I’ll stand by you. Wherever you stand, I’ll be with you.”

“For all the failures it took to get to you, I’ll only give nothing but all that I have. To take this long to recognize you, just before it’s too late, I’ll take every step with you.” With a growing smile on both their lips, they raised their cups and drank the wine whole. Tenten handed the cup back to him to set on the counter. “What do we do now?” he asked her. 

Tenten held her hands together and fixed the curtains, “We’ll sit on the bed and share the bed until next morning,” she told him. “But since we’re drenched, I suppose that wouldn’t work. So just undress me now and I’ll undress you. We’ll shower and return to our bed.” 

Neji closed the distance between them and slowly reached for the buttons on her shirt. One by one, he unbuttoned it before sliding it off. If this was his first time seeing her skin, he’d probably blush onto no end. Undoing her skirt, he remembered all the places he touched long ago. Neji stopped all at once and pulled her into a hug. Tenten froze up when his cold clothes touched her skin. She began to pat his back, reassuring him that everything was fine. For a while, she let him hold her in silence. Neji thumbed her shoulder blades as his heart shuddered. “Somewhere along the way, I’ve lost your scent. If I were to lose you, I don’t know what I would do.”

“Don’t speak. Could you not speak? I’m still shaken to my core. I don’t even believe this is real. Couldn’t you just reassure me that this is you?” Tenten began to peel off his haori, “Tell me I’m not dreaming. Because if I wake up the next day and find no one, I’ll truly lose my mind.”

Neji pulled back from her and found her eyes, “How can I do that?” he replied. “To me, I’m dreaming right now. I can’t even trust myself to say that this is real. How can I prove to us it’s real?”

Tears came with sadness as Tenten’s eyes glistened. “Love me without hesitating, without yielding. You say you’d do it, yet all this time, you hold yourself back.” Her tears fell as she looked at him, “Love me without a care in the world.” 

Neji grimaced as he wiped a tear from her cheek. Leaning down to her lips, he removed her skirt. His hands returned to straddle her tiny waist as she removed his articles. He missed the taste of her lips. Never in his life did he think he’d be kissing the little girl that annoyed him when they were young. Neji slid off his haori as his hakama dropped to the floor. Never did he ever imagine falling in love with his teammate. To the young selves that had yet to know what would happen in the future, he wished them nothing but the fairest of luck to save them from death along the way. Neji guided her to their bath. To the young “him” who hadn’t the slightest feeling for his teammate, he wished to give his younger self-guidance to find her. Neji closed the bathroom door and pressed her onto the counter. In his life, he’d never think he’d be this soft to her. Unhooking her bra, he’ll do as she said countless times before. He won’t be so harsh on her. He won’t resent anything. 

Tenten blindly turned the water on as they moved to the shower. Bare everywhere, a neverending ticklish feeling camped in her chest. Every part of her body was scalding hot, hotter than the water spouting out from the showerhead. His hands ravaged every inch of her skin, careful not to leave any mark on her body. Fog filled every corner of the bathroom. Tenten found it harder to breathe now that they’ve reached this point of returning every kiss and every touch. Her heart beat all too quickly. She couldn’t even feel the pain of her breasts being pressed against the glass shower screen. This time, she didn’t suppress any noise that came as a consequence of making love. She only hoped that the water that pitter-pattered on the shower floor muffled every breathless groan and moan that escaped both of their lips.

.

.

Neji focused on the gentle tappings her fingers danced on his chest as they laid on the bed. Wearing light yukata toward the end of winter was a poor choice but there was nothing else they could do. After eating and after wearing the only thing they brought, it was time to drift to sleep. Neji grabbed her playful fingers as they stared into the supposedly dark room. The curtains weren’t so great at blocking light from the outside. “Your bangs are getting long again. Should I trim them tomorrow?”

Tenten propped herself up and looked at him. “Should I dye your hair too?”

“Why?” he raised a brow. “You don’t like them white?”

She shook her head no, “It makes you too ethereal. Someone might try to steal glances of you from me.”

Neji tittered and reached his hand over to move her bangs, “You’re saying I look ugly with brown hair?”

Tenten chuckled and leaned down to press a quick peck on his lips. She moved back and ran her fingers through his hair, “No, even then, you were beautiful.” 

“Were you jealous when girls screeched for me?” he began to stroke her hair as she came back down to rest her head on his shoulder. 

“I wasn’t jealous because I knew you didn’t like anyone. You were too detached from those things when you were younger.”

Neji didn’t say anything for a while and let a minute pass by. He then propped himself up on his elbow and rested his head on his hand as he looked at her. “Did you think you had a chance with me?”

“No,” Tenten replied. “Even when I knew and saw beforehand what we could become, I knew that if you didn’t feel anything for me, it should be kept that way. If it were to be like that, if you never returned the feelings, none of this would have happened. You would’ve been married to someone else and I wouldn’t be here sleeping with a celestial creature.” 

Neji smiled at her description of him and moved her bangs to the side, “I like seeing your forehead better. When it’s framed like this, I can easily give it a kiss.”

Tenten gazed at her husband’s lightened personality. She wondered at what point in his life did he find his reason to love her. “When did you decide to chase your feelings for me?”

“Hm?”

“When did you realize that in your heart, there was me?”

“That’s easy,” he leaned down to plant a kiss on her forehead. He did it again just for the heck of it. “In the years spent inside the fortress without you, I had plenty of time to think of where I placed you along my lifetime.” Neji came down and pulled her close to his chest. “It was when I was gone from you after being appointed Jounin. I started to miss the little things you do. I started to miss how convenient you were to me. I took you for granted. From the miscellaneous things you packed, I realized how unprepared I was during missions. I was missing the person who took care of me the most. When I returned to you for the mission to save the Kazekage, I thought hard about what I should bring and shouldn’t. I wondered if you remembered to pack the things I used to forget. If you ask me why I couldn’t tell you then, it’s because I wasn’t even sure if I was capable enough to love you.”

Tenten listened attentively to his soothing voice. She nudged closer to him and purposefully sandwiching his legs by grappling them with her own leg. “And then after the war, you just decide to try and kiss me like that?”

Neji frowned and playfully tried to wiggle out of her leg’s grasp on him. Tenten refused to let him go and he ended up hovering over her. His breaths were heavy as he tried to struggle out of her clasp on his waist. When their eyes met, it was as if time stopped. Staring into her eyes like this, he was glad that his blindness was only temporary. Neji slowly and hesitantly bent down to her lips. When his nose touched her’s he wondered if he could kiss her passionately again. Tenten’s heart was fluttering again. Her heart was turning shy again. Neji angled back and instead brought his hand up to trace a winding line using the back of his fingers to the side of her face. “If in that moment you moved away from me, I’d have no regrets. If on that night, instead of staying when I asked you to, if you left me out into the darkness, I’d probably be able to do nothing. In that moment, my whole heart was pounding. I put my whole faith in the chance that you’d feel the same way. If you didn’t want me to kiss you and you left me, I’d probably be too embarrassed to find these feelings again.”

“Then it’s a good thing I stayed,” Tenten softly replied as she put her hands behind his neck and pulled him down to her. “It’s a good thing I jeopardized us both and saved you from death. In doing so, I thought I’d be punished but instead, I was lucky enough to receive your confession and your love.” She cupped both his cheeks and stroked them as her eyes gazed into his’ own pearly ones. “Kiss me and I’ll tell you our future.”

Neji mildly simpered as the tip of his thumb brushed her cheekbone. He angled down and gave her a kiss on her eyelid. “How’s that?” he asked her. 

Tenten slapped his chest and nudged him lightly away, “On my lips, genius.”

He chuckled and traveled to plant a single lip kiss. Neji leaned back and judged her dissatisfied expression, “Hm?”

“One more time,” she told him. Neji came down for another peck before drawing back again. Tenten pouted and hooked her arms around his neck again, “One more,” she hastily said. He laughed and grinned before bending down to give several lingering kisses for a long period of time. Tenten pushed herself to sit up and took over his kisses. She plummeted him onto his back and straddled his waist as she implemented more than just a lighthearted intensity to their shared kisses. Neji let his hands rest free as their innocent kisses turned more and more impish.

Neji could feel aroused with what she was doing. He held her shoulders and pulled her back, “Our future?” he asked her. 

She immediately pried his grasp on her off and captured his lips once more for a brief second. Tenten loosened her yukata before meeting his eyes, “We’ll have children,” she told him. “Two, to be exact. We came together so late, all of our friends already have their firstborn. I get so envious when I see them. I want to have kids. I want to have your kids. And we’ll raise our children together and train them well.”

Neji’s smile grew as he drew her back down to rub their noses together, “We just did this for hours in the bathroom.” 

“Are you tired?” she asked as she began to plant kisses onto his lips.

“No,” he replied in between responding back to her motions. “You might just get hurt this time.”

Tenten frowned in confusion, “Why?”

“Because,” Neji snaked his hand to the nape of her neck and pressed her lips firmly onto his’. For a full minute, he passionately kissed her back before pulling away to breathe in air. 

“Because?”

Neji pulled her yukata sleeve down her shoulders and yanked her down to him, “Because, we’re on a bed.”

Tenten burst into full-blown laughter as she sat up at his groin. She held her sides, being unable to stop laughing. Tenten fell down onto into his chest and her laughter became giggles. Neji smiled widely as he held her shaking shoulders. Tenten raised her head up to look at him, “I’ll be fine, you genius!” He sandwiched her face with his hands and squished her cheeks. He loved everything about her. He loved her cute laughs. He loved her beautiful smile. He loved how her eyes even smiled whenever she smiled for him. Neji brought her lips to his’ for the final time. He’ll never love according to the rules of the books again.

They broke the bed that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for spending time to read this story. I'm satisfied with how I ended it. I originally wanted to end the story with both of them dying and then continuing with an epilogue with them in the future in high school but I decided not to. Again, thank you for being on this journey with me. Have a good day!

**Author's Note:**

> I finally reached the point where I need to write this story because Neji's death was not worth it.  
> Obviously, Neji is alive. Shikamaru and Ino's dads are still dead. I'm straying heavily in the War Arc because everything was packed up so much in Day 1. I'm adding in new powers for the Hyuuga Clan. Hyuuga politics!
> 
> Quick warning, it'll be a long one.
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you for taking the time to read this and/or my work!


End file.
